Lucknow, Dec 2 : What government schemes, financial benefits and immense publicity could not do, a stray tiger has done.
The big cat has turned two villages on the border of Mahoba and Hamirpur districts completely ODF (Open Defecation Free) in two days.
According to reports, a stray tiger was sighted in the Gyodhi village on the border of the two districts on Friday.
Tigers are normally not seen in the region and though forest officials tried to search for the big cat, he was nowhere to be found.
The tiger was seen on Saturday in the Kunehta village and this sent a scare in the area.
People have stopped defecating in the open and even children are not being allowed to move out of the house to answer nature's call.
A senior official said: "Almost all the houses in these districts have toilets and Mahoba was even declared ODF some months ago.
However, the people would still prefer to defecate in the open and no amount of convincing would make them stop the practice.
We are happy that the tiger scare has made them use toilets."
Another official quipped: "What the entire administration could not achieve, a tiger has achieved in two days"
--IANS
amita/dpb.
Source: IANS
