The Goa government announced all village panchayat areas in the state as Open Defecation Free (ODF) in August 2019. Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho claimed that around 180 panchayats were officially declared ODF after installing an adequate number of domestic and community toilets.

Today, this claim has come under scrutiny. Barely half of Goa's declared "ODF-Plus Model Villages" have passed their first audit, and not a single village has completed the second stage of certification.

Data from the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) as of June 9 reveals that 325 census villages across Goa have been declared ODF-Plus Model Villages and only 152 have successfully passed the first verification process. None have cleared the mandatory second verification.

This data highlights an "ODF paradox," raising serious questions about the gap between official paper declarations and ground reality.

From the claims of becoming first Open Defecation Free (ODP) state in the whole country in 2019, Goa had a positive image of leading others with an example. However, the latest data shows that validating these claims is a major challenge. Goa has 373 census villages, and 371 have attained basic ODF-Plus status. Yet, out of the 325 declared ODF-Plus Models, only 152 have cleared the first verification.

Under the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission, an ODF-Plus Model village must meet strict criteria. It must ensure effective solid and liquid waste management, maintain high cleanliness standards, prevent littering and stagnant wastewater, and demonstrate sustainable sanitation practices.

With 173 villages still awaiting their first validation and zero completing the final verification, Goa's ODF status remains a dilemma. The data shows that 343 villages have liquid waste facilities, while 371 have solid waste management arrangements. This suggests that wastewater management is a bigger concern than solid waste handling.

Furthermore, Goa currently has no certified ODF-Plus districts or ODF-Plus Model districts. Out of 12 total blocks, 10 have achieved ODF-Plus status and 5 have reached ODF-Plus Model status. Additionally, out of 191 gram panchayats, 163 are classified as ODF-Plus, and 163 are classified as ODF-Plus Models.

While this paradox is not yet fully understood, these revelations from the Swachh Bharat Mission bring the state back to square one. Citizens are left wondering if the initial claims were a hoax, a partial reality, or baseless remarks. The Goa government must clarify the ground reality to maintain public trust and keep citizens involved in keeping the state clean.