For people in rural India, defecating in the open is no more a “pleasure activity”.
These days, it is fraught with challenges: One could find the details of his morning ritual narrated like a cricket match commentary.
Or people could be denied ration and government documents for failing to build a toilet at home.
With the target for making India open defecation free (ODF) by 2019 under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) programme, states are tripping over themselves to meet the deadline, even at the cost of violating citizens’ right to food or privacy.
This mad rush to build toilets and end open defecation is also putting the long-term sustainability of the Centre’s flagship programme at peril, allege activists.
“In Indore, temple loudspeakers were used to narrate a commentary when someone went out to defecate in the open. Kids were asked to whistle … even photographs of people defecating in the open being interrupted by strangers offering flowers did rounds on social media,” said Nikhil Srivastav, research and policy manager, Research Institute for Compassionate Economics.
In Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, the administration has formed citizens’ groups to blow whistles if they spot anyone defecating in the open.
According to a local Hindi daily, Sawai Madhopur collector KC Verma has directed ration shops to stop giving people grains if they don’t build toilets.
“This flouts the National Food Security Act, 2013,” said Dr Indira Khurana, a water and sanitation expert. However, when HT contacted Verma, he said he was misquoted in the report.
In Maharashtra’s Solapur, the administration has resorted to public shaming to curb open defecation.
Those failing to use a toilet would find their name on a list in the town square or a local paper. Repeat offenders would find a musical band chasing them home or could be locked up for two hours by the police.
Chhattisgarh’s Balod district, however, takes the cake: In Kapasi village, which was declared the first ODF village in Balod, CCTVs have been installed to stop people from open defecation.
An activist said ODF will only be achieved and sustained when people demand facilities.
“Pressure has to be put on people to end socially deviant behaviour. But before that happens, two things have to be done: One, there are enough toilets and second, the community is on board,” said Meeta Rajiv Lochan, former director, municipal administration, Maharashtra.
Akshay Kumar Rout, officer on special duty, SBM, however, denied any coercive measure.
“The Centre does not approve of any such measures. The programme has moved from toilet building to ensuring behavioural change,” he said.
Source: HindustanTimes