World Toilet Day - 19 November.
At least there was one Chief Minister in India who dared to talk about toilets on World Toilet Day. The Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared that people who do not have toilets in their houses will not be allowed to contest the Panchayat or Local Body elections. For this he would make all efforts to get the changes done in the Panchayat and Local Body Election rules.
The dare is more than welcomed in a country where ministers have been bashed up badly just because they talked about toilets. First it was Union Minister Jairam Ramesh who said we need more toilets than temples. His lines were recently repeated by the Prime Ministerial candidate of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Narendra Modi, who advocated 'Devalaya se pehle shauchalaya' (toilets before temples).
Then there is one state - Uttar Pradesh - one of the worst performing state as far as sanitation is concerned, where ministers and bureaucrats nonchalantly avoided speaking on the toilet issue. A few organisations like WaterAid, FANSA (Freshwater Action Network South Asia) along with some local NGOs organised an event and invited the Panchayati Raj Minister, who simply sent a regret message and avoided the programme. Even bureaucrats from various departments concerned stayed away from the event.
Incidentally, Uttar Pradesh is a state where only about 35 per cent households have toilets, of which nearly 32 per cent toilets are lying defunct, which leaves merely 3 per cent households using the toilets.
The figure is horrifying and re-creates the early morning scenario, which is usual for any Indian though it shocks any foreigner visiting the country for the first time. The scene is - men and women squatting near railway lines or both sides of the highways releasing themselves in the open. Every time a vehicle or a train passes, they stand up and resume their natural call once the road or railway track is empty.
India is a country where, according to the latest Joint Review Mission 2013 report, nearly 60 per cent population is going to the open fields for defecation. In rural areas the percentage is even bigger.
Yet, in this country, talking about toilets is considered low. The decision makers avoid being seen at places where people are talking about toilets. They refrain from speaking about toilets.
These days noted film star Amir Khan has been figuring in a government campaign which is telling people not to use roadsides as toilets. He also asks the audience to think about the fact what the visitors to our country would be thinking about us if we do so.
But the question is: where should one go if he/she has to go when there are no public facilities in the shopping areas in the cities or on highways?
Even the posh localities and building, where the rich and mighties live, there are no toilets for the drivers and house workers, who serve the sahebs the whole day. So, they end up using all the corners and unused rooftops.
The suggestion is that apart from teaching people the civilised behaviour, we need to ensure that there are enough public facilities, which are clean and functional to be used by all. This would be possible only when there is a political will in our politicians and there is enough respect for the dignity of every individual, irrespective whether poor or rich, rural or urban.
But, will it happen? And, if it happens, how long will it take?
India is the worst performing state right now where a maximum number of people are defecating in the open - 50 per cent of world's total population defecating in the open is in India.
The situation should be taken as alarm bells by the government which thinks its duty is over once the toilets are constructed or the money is released for the toilets. What the government need to ensure is - construction of toilets and ensure their use; releasing money and then physically verifying if it has been used properly; consulting the local people before constructing the toilet so that to ensure its use; and lastly and most importantly work with communities for changing the behaviour and age old practices.
I hope someone is listening and is ready to take the situation by hand and bring a change before it is too late!!!
At least there was one Chief Minister in India who dared to talk about toilets on World Toilet Day. The Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared that people who do not have toilets in their houses will not be allowed to contest the Panchayat or Local Body elections. For this he would make all efforts to get the changes done in the Panchayat and Local Body Election rules.
The dare is more than welcomed in a country where ministers have been bashed up badly just because they talked about toilets. First it was Union Minister Jairam Ramesh who said we need more toilets than temples. His lines were recently repeated by the Prime Ministerial candidate of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Narendra Modi, who advocated 'Devalaya se pehle shauchalaya' (toilets before temples).
Then there is one state - Uttar Pradesh - one of the worst performing state as far as sanitation is concerned, where ministers and bureaucrats nonchalantly avoided speaking on the toilet issue. A few organisations like WaterAid, FANSA (Freshwater Action Network South Asia) along with some local NGOs organised an event and invited the Panchayati Raj Minister, who simply sent a regret message and avoided the programme. Even bureaucrats from various departments concerned stayed away from the event.
Incidentally, Uttar Pradesh is a state where only about 35 per cent households have toilets, of which nearly 32 per cent toilets are lying defunct, which leaves merely 3 per cent households using the toilets.
The figure is horrifying and re-creates the early morning scenario, which is usual for any Indian though it shocks any foreigner visiting the country for the first time. The scene is - men and women squatting near railway lines or both sides of the highways releasing themselves in the open. Every time a vehicle or a train passes, they stand up and resume their natural call once the road or railway track is empty.
India is a country where, according to the latest Joint Review Mission 2013 report, nearly 60 per cent population is going to the open fields for defecation. In rural areas the percentage is even bigger.
Yet, in this country, talking about toilets is considered low. The decision makers avoid being seen at places where people are talking about toilets. They refrain from speaking about toilets.
These days noted film star Amir Khan has been figuring in a government campaign which is telling people not to use roadsides as toilets. He also asks the audience to think about the fact what the visitors to our country would be thinking about us if we do so.
But the question is: where should one go if he/she has to go when there are no public facilities in the shopping areas in the cities or on highways?
Even the posh localities and building, where the rich and mighties live, there are no toilets for the drivers and house workers, who serve the sahebs the whole day. So, they end up using all the corners and unused rooftops.
The suggestion is that apart from teaching people the civilised behaviour, we need to ensure that there are enough public facilities, which are clean and functional to be used by all. This would be possible only when there is a political will in our politicians and there is enough respect for the dignity of every individual, irrespective whether poor or rich, rural or urban.
But, will it happen? And, if it happens, how long will it take?
India is the worst performing state right now where a maximum number of people are defecating in the open - 50 per cent of world's total population defecating in the open is in India.
The situation should be taken as alarm bells by the government which thinks its duty is over once the toilets are constructed or the money is released for the toilets. What the government need to ensure is - construction of toilets and ensure their use; releasing money and then physically verifying if it has been used properly; consulting the local people before constructing the toilet so that to ensure its use; and lastly and most importantly work with communities for changing the behaviour and age old practices.
I hope someone is listening and is ready to take the situation by hand and bring a change before it is too late!!!
