Kiran Bedi issues No Toilet, No Rice order in Puducherry, withholds after facing flak

Puducherry LG Kiran Bedi on Saturday landed in a major controversy by ordering that the territorial government's free rice scheme would be operated in rural areas only after local MLAs and commune panchayat commissioners certify that the hamlets are open defecation free and garbage free by May 31.

However, soon after the news spread, Bedi issued a clarification and "withheld" her earlier order, saying she wanted to give more time to the people.

Bedi made her earlier statement in a WhatsApp message to mediapersons after her weekend visits to some villages, where she expressed dissatisfaction over the 'slow pace' of implementation of the rural sanitation programme.

"Distribution of free rice to the villagers should be conditional to the certification of the village being open defecation free and free of strewn garbage and plastics," she said.