<p>Bengaluru, which shot to fame due to the garbage crisis, has yet another black spot, which has pushed the IT city further down in the recently announced Swachh Survekshan 2018.</p>.<p>Much to the dismay of the civic body, 48 wards across the city are dotted with the open defecation practice, denting the image of Brand Bengaluru.</p>.<p>An inordinate delay in declaring 157 wards as open defecation free (ODF) has also added to the fall on the national ranking.</p>.<p>Working constantly to improve its ranking, the BBMP has left no stone unturned. However, the indifferent attitude of the officials and people’s representatives towards the issue<br />has come in its way of making it to the top.</p>.<p>According to the documents made available to <span class="italic">DH</span> by sources in the BBMP, the civic body had submitted a proposal in November 2017 to declare 109 wards as ODF. However, the file is yet to be taken up for discussion in the council meeting.</p>.<p>As a result, Bengaluru, which could have improved its ranking in the subsequent Swachh Survekshan survey, conducted from January 4, 2018, further slipped by six points.</p>.<p>Even as the Palike is yet to declare 157 wards as ODF, the officials attributed it to the objections raised by the ward committees.</p>.<p>Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner, health and solid waste management, BBMP, said: “We had decided to declare 157 wards as ODF. But a few ward committees expressed concerns about the lack of infrastructure to meet the demand.”</p>.<p>Apparently, the corporation is finding it tough to get land to construct public and community toilets in its wards.</p>.<p>“In some wards, corporators helped us to get land. We need to build 2,500 toilet units, comprising both public and community units,” he said.</p>.<p>To declare a ward free from open defecation, the civic body has to provide the sufficient number of toilets, according to the Swacch Bharath Mission’s (SBM) norm.</p>.<p>Had the norms been fulfilled, Bengaluru could have got 32 marks more in the ODF category on the ranking.</p>.<p>An independent survey by Janaagraha, a city-based NGO, in December 2017, revealed the city was falling short of 1,100 public toilet complexes.</p>.<p>According to the NGO, while a few wards had a large number of toilets, many others were lacking in the facility.</p>.<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"> <caption><strong>Wards with open defecation </strong><strong>practice</strong></caption> <tbody> <tr> <td>East</td> <td>10 (wards)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>West</td> <td>13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>South</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>R R Nagar</td> <td>6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Bommanahalli</td> <td>9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Dasarahalli</td> <td>8</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mahadevapura</td> <td>1</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<p>Bengaluru, which shot to fame due to the garbage crisis, has yet another black spot, which has pushed the IT city further down in the recently announced Swachh Survekshan 2018.</p>.<p>Much to the dismay of the civic body, 48 wards across the city are dotted with the open defecation practice, denting the image of Brand Bengaluru.</p>.<p>An inordinate delay in declaring 157 wards as open defecation free (ODF) has also added to the fall on the national ranking.</p>.<p>Working constantly to improve its ranking, the BBMP has left no stone unturned. However, the indifferent attitude of the officials and people’s representatives towards the issue<br />has come in its way of making it to the top.</p>.<p>According to the documents made available to <span class="italic">DH</span> by sources in the BBMP, the civic body had submitted a proposal in November 2017 to declare 109 wards as ODF. However, the file is yet to be taken up for discussion in the council meeting.</p>.<p>As a result, Bengaluru, which could have improved its ranking in the subsequent Swachh Survekshan survey, conducted from January 4, 2018, further slipped by six points.</p>.<p>Even as the Palike is yet to declare 157 wards as ODF, the officials attributed it to the objections raised by the ward committees.</p>.<p>Sarfaraz Khan, joint commissioner, health and solid waste management, BBMP, said: “We had decided to declare 157 wards as ODF. But a few ward committees expressed concerns about the lack of infrastructure to meet the demand.”</p>.<p>Apparently, the corporation is finding it tough to get land to construct public and community toilets in its wards.</p>.<p>“In some wards, corporators helped us to get land. We need to build 2,500 toilet units, comprising both public and community units,” he said.</p>.<p>To declare a ward free from open defecation, the civic body has to provide the sufficient number of toilets, according to the Swacch Bharath Mission’s (SBM) norm.</p>.<p>Had the norms been fulfilled, Bengaluru could have got 32 marks more in the ODF category on the ranking.</p>.<p>An independent survey by Janaagraha, a city-based NGO, in December 2017, revealed the city was falling short of 1,100 public toilet complexes.</p>.<p>According to the NGO, while a few wards had a large number of toilets, many others were lacking in the facility.</p>.<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"> <caption><strong>Wards with open defecation </strong><strong>practice</strong></caption> <tbody> <tr> <td>East</td> <td>10 (wards)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>West</td> <td>13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>South</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td>R R Nagar</td> <td>6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Bommanahalli</td> <td>9</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Dasarahalli</td> <td>8</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mahadevapura</td> <td>1</td> </tr> </tbody></table>