The good minister R P Singh has his heart in the right place.
But, unless most of Indian rural or suburban folks are or planning to
run for elections, it won't make a dent in the problem. Unfortunately
ministers such as PRPS, and who knows who else, have not heard of
such tools as Building and Planning Codes and their enforcement .
It is quite unbelievable, that someone can build a two storey, or
even one storey 'pucca' house, without a toilet, in twenty
first-century India. Even in my neck of the woods, where the woods
are thick and plenty, those who have built a 'pucca' house, have had
the wisdom of building a sanitary latrine. In fact those who have not
had the ability build a 'pucca' house and sanitary latrines, but have
enough of a piece of ground to accommodate a pit-toilet, have the
wisdom to build one. Only the real down and out and remote, continue
to go to the woods.
But the real problem is not the affordability - it is the concept of
the toilet being dirty, requiring 'dalits' to clean them, that
prevents so many from building a toilet inside the house. But why
can't there be an out-house, instead of going to the open roadside?
Apparently the sense of privacy and hygiene, private or public, are
not issues in these environs.
cm
*****************************************************************************
No toilet at home? Can't contest elections
IANS[ TUESDAY, AUGUST 02, 2005 04:20:50 PM ]
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NEW DELHI: If you do not have a toilet at home despite having the
wherewithal to do so, you could be barred from contesting elections -
that is, if Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh makes
good his threat.
Singh, on a mission to see that every home in every Indian village
has a toilet, has proposed that those who fail to incorporate this
basic amenity in their house should not be allowed to contest local
body elections.
"If you cannot build a toilet in your own home, what use can you be
to your voters? I have said that such punitive measures are required
to ensure rural sanitation," said Singh, who had written to all state
chief ministers on the issue last month.
"People should at least be aware of this problem. There are people
who can afford a two-storey house but do not build a simple toilet,
forcing members to defecate in the open."
Singh has suggested that at least the 292,0000 panchayats, or
village councils across India, should have toilets to begin with.
But if the ban is imposed, many in the Bihar politician's own home
state could be ruled out, since the state is notorious for poor
sanitation and people defecating in the open.
Singh admitted: "Many parts of India still suffer from the outdated
mentality of not having toilets at him. That is why I have proposed
such a stricture, to make people aware."
Around 700 million Indian homes - mostly rural areas and urban slums
-- do not have toilets, according to official data. In countless
villages only a few privileged homes have a toilet.
Singh is concerned that a large number of elected local body
representatives and many government functionaries do not have toilet
facilities in their own houses and defecate in the open.
According to the minister, more than 65 percent of the rural
population defecate in the open, generating a whopping 200,000 MT of
human excreta that pollute environment and water resources besides
causing diseases.
In a letter to chief ministers, MPs and legislators, Singh said
elected representatives at all levels, including Panchayati Raj
members and government functionaries, were in a position to address
this problem in a better manner and create awareness on these issues
in their areas of influence more effectively.
"They need to lead by example," the minister said. "They have to
change this behaviour and adopt better sanitation and hygiene
practices."
Some states have already amended Panchayati Raj acts to ensure that
elected members compulsorily have toilet facilities in their
households.
Singh has suggested to chief ministers that similar provisions be
made in all states, and all government functionaries be asked to
construct toilets in their own houses.
"Only then can we eradicate the practice of open defecation by
2010," the minister asserted.
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