Authorities in the Indian city of Ahmedabad have decided to pay people to use public toilets in a bid to combat public urination and defecation, AFP reports.
Authorities say residents will be given a rupee (less than a fifth of a U.S. cent) every time they use public facilities in a bid to cut back.
“The idea behind this project is to prevent open defecation in parts of the city where people, despite having public toilets, defecate in the open,” an official told the news agency.
Authorities also plan to identify residents who publicly urinate and defecate on a regular basis and encourage them to use the public toilets by offering the incentive.
According to UNICEF, more than half of India’s population defecates in the open, creating a serious public health issue.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com