Srikakulam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu held out a veiled threat that if the district collectors failed to meet the deadlin of 'open defacation free' target, set by the Centre as March 31, he may be compelled to go on hunger strike.  

Reiterating that his government’ is commited to make the state ODF by March, the Chief Minister during his address at the Janamabhoomi Maa Vooru programme at Ichchapuram of Srikakulam district said, “every district must achieve the ODF status within the time frame and there will be no compromise on it.” 

Describing Swachh Andhra Pradesh as a major theme of the ongoing fifth edition of Janmabhoomi programme, Naidu said officials and the staff must be off their seats on every third Saturday and visit the nearby villages and slums to organise awareness camps on ODF.  He also exhorted people to take part in the campaign at least once a week.

Referring to the ODF ranking of Srikakulam district, Naidu said the administration has a big task in hand. “Srikakulam is ranked third from the bottom as only 42 per cent of its households have IHHL. The district must to achieve the target by the March-end at any cost,” he said, adding that the administration needs to set up 2.37 lakh ISLs before the district is declared ODF.  The works for 20781 IHHLs are in progress and for 90,121 more, the foundations are yet to be liad, he pointed out. The Chief Minister said that he would make surprise visits after March 31 to check whether or not all the households have toilets. 

Collector K Dhananjaya Reddy promised that the district would be declared ODF by the March-end under any circumstances.  Referring to the Vamsadhara projects, the CM gave big thanks to the oustees who have vacated all the 19 scheduled villages, extending cooperation to the government. 

“The Vamsadhara project, offshore reservoir and interlinking of Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers and all other pending irrigation projects will be ready by next rabi season,” he said and promised that the Srikakulam IIIT would soon be shifted to the home district. The Chief Minister distributed assets worth `370 crore including bank linkage loans, student scholarships, loans from BC and SC corporations and house pattas to the beneficiaries.

Referring to the row over Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy, Naidu said some people were using the Janamabhoomi meeting venue for praising their leaders, but the aim should be noble.Collector K Dhananjaya Reddy said that around 11,000 public grievances were yet to be addressed. Ichchapuram municipal commissioner said that of the total 7,660 applications received during the last four editions of Janmabhoomi programmes, 3,599 have been resolved.