Rajbiraj, December 14

Saptari is likely to miss the deadline to graduate to an open defecation free area by the end of this year, thanks to lack of concerted efforts on the part of stakeholders in the district.

As per the action plan of the district-based drinking water and sanitation coordination committee, 17 days are at hand before the district can be declared an ODF zone. However, 20 per cent households of the district are still without latrines.

“Of the total 119,618 households, 15,000 are sans latrines,” informed the District Water and Sanitation Division Office Saptari chief Lokendra Yadav.

As per data, most of the families who are without latrines at home are the poor and Dalit families.

The locals, however, have pointed their finger at the campaigners for failure of the campaign. “As the so-called leaders of the campaign themselves don’t have latrines at home, the campaign is of course bound to fail,” said a local.