Swachh Bharat Abhiyan toilets turn into store rooms in this Karnataka district

After Koppal district making a mark in construction of individual toilets under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, there appears to be dire need to create awareness among rural people about availing them.
Image for representational purpose only toilets.
Image for representational purpose only toilets.

KOPPAL: After Koppal district making a mark in the construction of individual toilets under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, there appears to be dire need to create awareness among rural people about availing them.

For instance, the undivided Yelburga taluk in Koppal district has 37-gram panchayats (GPs) consisting of 144 villages and 33,163 individual toilets have been constructed under the Abhiyan since 2013-14. However, most of them have turned out to be storerooms to keep firewood and other material, official sources told Express on Saturday. Kukanoor taluk has been carved out of Yelburga taluk recently, which is yet to become a full-fledged entity).

Consequently, despite officials creating awareness in rural areas of the taluk initially about availing individual toilets to end open defecation, rural people seem reluctant for want of water supply, sources noted.

In fact, officials prevented villagers from open defecation in the initial months, but as the officials stopped the awareness exercise, open defecation has been resumed in rural areas, especially in Bevoor, Talakeri, Ganadal, Markat, Hiremygeri, Uchalakunta, Tippanal, Hunasihal, Vanageri, Guttoor, Krishnapura, Chikkamannapura and Bandi villages of Yelburga taluk, sources elaborated.

Dyamanna Halli from Bevoor village remarked that GPs and officials must be consistent with measures to ensure that rural people avail individual toilets and end open defecation. However, Yelburga Taluk Panchayat executive officer K Timmappa maintained that two officials have been entrusted with creating awareness about availing individual toilets in the taluk.

Meanwhile, official sources quipped that the situation is no different in rural areas of other taluks in the district and Koppal Zilla Panchayat has to take an earnest initiative to end open defecation.

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The New Indian Express
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