Clean Up India: 108 toilets built in Badaun but villagers unwilling to use them - BADAUN

As the government begins its Swacch Bharat campaign, NGOs Sulabh International is leaving no stone unturned to provide the locals with adequate toilets in the Katra Sadatganj village in Badaun in Uttar Pradesh. Brick by brick, NGO Sulabh International has built 108 toilets in the Badaun village. The NGO has plans to provide 295 more so that each house has a toilet. But interestingly, a small section of the residents, prefer not to use them.

"People complain that they feel claustrophobic using a toilet and prefer to go out in the open. Some also say that these toilets are so good that they hesitate from using it," Village Pradhan Kamal Kant Tiwari said.

Infact, a lady in the village went on the extent to say that the toilets are so well made that she would rather store twigs and cow dung in the only pucca and water proof part of the house. "I like toilet as it is made better than house. So I will use it as store room to keep utensils and fuel," she said.

Like a bitter reality in many villages in India, toilets are low priority in this village as well.

An extremely backward village, Katra Sadatganj mostly has mud huts with thatch roofs. The colourful pink and blue toilets almost adorn the village.

To help people overcome their hesitation, Sulabh infact had to employ two volunteers to go around the village and convince the residents to start using them.

Incidently, this is the same village where two sisters were found hanging from a tree after they went out in the dead of the night to releive themselves. In these circumstances, toilets at homes are a boon for women residents who had to wait all day long for nightfall to go out and defecate in the open.

"My daughter-in-law would not return from their natal homes because of lack of toilets," a village resident Munni said.

For the old and infirm and handicapped too, toilets are a big relief. "I'm very relieved to have a toilet. I just need to get up from my bed and go to the adjoining toilet. Earlier my wife would have to carry everything outside. People would stare at her," a physically challenged resident Vijender said.


Source : IBN7 Live , 2nd Oct 2014