New Delhi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday declared Kerala as an open defection free state.
“Kerala becomes first high density populated state in the country to achieve Open Defecation Free status today on its formation day,” Vijayan tweeted.
The milestone was achieved after the government constructed nearly 1.75 lakh toilets across Kerala.
The announcement was made by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer in New Delhi Wednesday.
Thrissur was the first district to become defecation free, followed by Kannur and Kozhikode.
A group of engineering students in Idukki, set up toilets in the remote tribal village of Edamalakkdy, which received a special mention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme.