VARANASI: Beating the record of Nadia district of West Bengal, people in UP's Sonbhadra formed a 140-km long human chain to create awareness against open defecation on Friday. About three lakh people took part in this campaign of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural). Earlier, the Nadia district of West Bengal made a place in Limca Book of Records by making a 122.3-km long human chain on Feb 21, 2015.

“We had planned for a 130-km long human chain in the district to spread the message of cleanliness and create awareness against open defecation, but the huge participation of people made it about 140 km,” the Sonbhadra district magistrate PK Upadhyaya told TOI over phone. He said that the recordings and other relevant documents will be sent to Limca for entry in record book. However, the representatives of India Book of Records were present in the district to see the great feat, he added.

UP minister Archana Pandey also took part in the human chain programme. She was apprised of the fact that so far 370 out of 1379 villages of Sonbhadra district have been declared open defecation free (ODF), and it has been targeted to make all villages ODF by March next.

Beginning from Khaliari the human chain ended Obra crossing covering Robertsganj, Hinduari, Karma, Imlipur, Saranga, Jogini, Ghorawal, Markundi, Salkhan, Chopan, Baghwanala and other places. Besides local residents, school children also took part in it in large numbers. Elaborate security arrangements were made along the way during the formation of human chain.

