As the deadline for making villages `open defecation free’
is fast approaching , officials in Faridabad have adopted a novel method to
ensure it is not missed.
They wake up in the dead of night, rush to remote villages
and catch red-handed people defecating under bushes and open farmlands. They
then take help of the village elders to teach them civic lessons.
There are 116 panchayats in Faridabad district alone, out of
which 47 have woman sarpanchs.
The district administration of Faridabad set the deadline of
August 15 for making these 47 villages free from open defecation. A detailed
presentation was made by senior state government officers before all 116
sarpanchs in Faridabad recently.
After being educated on how open defecation causes health
hazard and how cleanliness improves the quality of life, the sarpanches took
oath to make their villages free from open defecation.
Two dates were finalised . For 47 villages headed by women
sarpanches, August 15, 2016 is the deadline. For the remaining villages headed
by male sarpanches, November 1, 2016 is the deadline for making the villages
free from open defecation.
“We educate people in our village to use toilets and do not
go for open for defecation”, said Kamlesh, Sarpanch of Samaipur village. “Some
people living on rent in our village mostly defecate in the open. But we have
told them that by August 15 our village has to be free from open defecation”,
she said.
But with the deadline approaching, officials cannot take a
chance. They started visiting the villages open defecation is prevalent.
Government officers hold meetings at the spot where people
defecate in the open. “It becomes difficult for villagers to meet due to the
bad smell. We make them realize the bad effects of open defecation on their
health”, said a senior state government officer.
“I visit such villages early in the morning, especially
areas where people defecate in the open. Yes, I do see some people with bottles
of water, defecating in the open”, said Upendra Singh, district consultant,
Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
“I and some elders in the village advise such people,”
Upendra said.
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| A civic lesson in progress |
An old lady Ramvati, 70, a resident of Samaipur village,
remains deployed with a lathi in her hands at a particular point in the village
where people defecate. “When people come for defecation, my mother questions
them and sends them back home,” said her son Harish. “ She advises them to use
the toilet and the people follow,” he added.
“ We are confident that even some panchayats headed by male
sarpanches will be made free from open defecation by August 15 though their
deadline is November 1”, a senior officer said. “The poor who do not have
toilets are getting financial assistance for constructing toilets,” the
officials said.
SOURCE HINDUSTAN TIMES
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