As part of nationwide sanitation program “Swachh Bharat Mission”, an awareness program was today organized by the district administration Shopian titled 'Walkathon' to promote toilet use and freedom from open defecation and polythene across the district.The rally which was flagged off by District Development Commissioner Shopian Mohammad Aijaz Asad at town hall Shopian, saw a huge participation of school children and NGOs along with government officials. The purpose of the campaign has been to encourage people to use toilet and avoid Open Defecation. The rally was followed by a public discussion on implementation of polythene & plastic ban and eradication of open defecation.Speaking on the occasion DDC said that behavior change has been the focus of Swachh Bharat Mission, which is being pursued through a countrywide comprehensive IEC (Information-Education-Communication) programme. “Communication campaigns have been taken up both, at the central and State levels, for promoting sustained use of toilets and for sustaining the Open Defecation Free status achieved,” he said while appealing public to avoid the use of polythene and plastic and make the district ODF.The special campaign was carried against the backdrop of the tardy progress of construction of individual household latrines under the municipal limits. DDC directed the concerned to expedite the pace of construction of individual household latrines so that the menace of open defecation shall be eradicated from the district. He also said that people should be made aware of the health consequences of open defecation and in this regard, large scale awareness camps should be conducted throughout the length and breadth of the country.The municipal committee was directed to intensify market checking in order to strictly implement the ban on polythene and plastic.