BHAWANIPATNA: The ambitious plan of making Bhawanipatna open defecation free (ODF) under Swachh Bharat Mission seems a distant dream. With the town expanding and more habitations coming up within the municipality limits, the problem of open defecation is turning acute with no immediate solution in sight. While not many people have shown interest in setting up Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs), the community toilets constructed under the scheme are not being put to use.
In 2017-18, `1.65 crore was sanctioned to Bhawanipatna for construction of IHHLs. Of the amount, 62 per cent was provided under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the rest by Urban Development Department of State Government.It was decided to construct 3,469 IHHLs and for the purpose, each SC/ST beneficiary was provided `8,000 while general category beneficiary got `6,667. However, only 500 of the identified beneficiaries have constructed the toilets.
In the wake of lack of response from people, the Bhawanipatna Municipality decided to go for community toilets. It was decided to construct 74 community toilets at a cost of `98,000 each including six toilets having facilities for bathing. However, only 20 community toilets have been constructed so far.
But none of these community toilets has been put to use yet. More than a year after construction of these toilets, not a single one has water and electricity supply. These toilets have come up on the banks of Nuabandha, near Boyanika showroom, weekly market, Naktiguda and BBC Pada. Two toilets in weekly market are in dilapidated condition.
Assistant Executive Engineer of the Bhawanipana Municipality Sameer Thakur said due to lack of water and electricity, the public toilets could not be uses. However, steps are being taken to arrange piped water supply to these toilets, he added. District wise, too, performance of Kalahandi district as far as implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is concerned has been the poorest in the State.
After the scheme was launched on October 2, 2014, the district administration had identified 2,87,282 beneficiaries for construction of IHHLs. According to official report of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, based on IHHL and ODF coverage, Kalahandi’s achievement is only 57.36 per cent - the lowest in the State. In May last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video conference with the then Collector, had taken stock of the project work and expressed concern at the slow progress.
Target Missed
● Civic body decided to construct 74 community toilets at the cost of `98,000 each including six toilets having facilities for bathing
● However, only 20 community toilets have been constructed so far
● More than a year after construction of these toilets, not a single one has water supply and electricity
● Two toilets in weekly market are already in dilapidated condition