CHENNAI: At least 17,325 houses in various parts of the city are yet to get toilet facilities. The Greater Chennai Corporation has issued orders to begin work on construction of toilets utilising funds under Swachh Bharat Mission. As per data compiled by the civic body, most of the 6,281 applications received from residents have recorded that toilets were “not existing” in such houses. A chunk of the applicants belonged to the socially and educationally weaker sections of the society. Open defecation problem Many of such residents had been reportedly contributing to open defecation in various parts of the city. “We have approved 4,229 applications. Work has commenced for construction of toilets in 84 houses,” said an official. The civic body has also released Rs.8,000 per household through RTGS in bank accounts. Corporation workers have started visiting houses to verify the existence of insanitary latrines. The work on Swachh Bharat started on October 2, 2014. But the release of funds to the houses started only in August this year. A few years ago, more than 5,000 latrines which gave scope for manual scavenging were identified for demolition. As many as 252 manual scavengers who clear night soil in Chennai were also identified for rehabilitation. But most of the manual scavengers have not been offered alternative source of livelihood. Agencies identified The civic body is yet to cover all streets in the previous survey of the facilities following an order issued by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department banning manual scavenging. A few agencies that employ people for hazardous cleaning of a septic tank were identified at the ward level. The Swachh Bharat initiatives are expected to prevent such hazardous cleaning also, said officials. Most of the household latrines to be constructed under Swachh Bharat funds are located in areas without sewage network.