Cantonments should be made open defecation free: Bhamre

New Delhi: Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Friday said efforts should be made to make all cantonments open defecation-free within a short period, said an official release.

At a function to mark the 91st Defence Estates Day here, the minister said: "Every cantonment needs to implement the latest technology in waste management and water recycling within a set time frame."

Highlighting that sanitation, education and medical services are the three critical areas in cantonment administration, he said: "Full attention should be given for overall development of cantonment schools where generally children from disadvantaged sections of society study, so as to make them role models for other municipal schools."

Bhamre stressed on the need for giving full attention to the cantonment dispensaries and hospitals, so as to make them at par with the best facilities available in that particular area.

"The minister complimented the Defence Estate Department for taking a quantum jump in modernising the defence land management system by way of digitisation of records, creation of land data bank, online connectivity, survey work and adopting best practices," the release said.

On this occasion, Bhamre and other dignitaries released Land Survey Reports in respect of five military stations -- Kirkee (Maharashtra), Porbander (Gujarat), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Medak (Telangana) and Nabagram (West Bengal).

Navy Chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba and Secretary Defence Production Ashok Kumar Gupta were also present at the event.

The minister also awarded Raksha Mantri's Awards for Excellence to officers and staff of the organisation for their outstanding performance in different spheres.

In the "Clean and Healthy Cantonment" category, four cantonment boards, namely Kirkee, Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Lansdowne (Uttarakhand) and Amritsar (Punjab), received the awards from the minister, jointly.

In the category of "Innovative Measures and Projects for Public Good", the award was jointly shared by cantonment boards of Delhi and Secunderabad.