BARIPADA: The benefits of Swachh Bharat Mission are yet to reach ward no 3 of Uparbeda village in Kusumi block of Mayurbhanj though the deadline for implementation of the scheme is long done. Villagers continue to defecate in the open unable to bear a part of the expenses to contruct toilets.
Located on Odisha-Jharkhand border, Uparbeda is mostly inhabited by tribals and shot to limelight after Droupadi Murmu assumed the top position of the country. But the focus on the village seemed short-lived.
Except a few residents who are financially stable, toilets have not been constructed in houses of others. “We are forced to defecate in the open as toilets are yet to be constructed in our houses,” said Bhaduram Marandi of the ward.
Sarpanch Jamuna Hembram had assured the locals that toilets will be constructed in every house but no steps have yet been taken in this regard, said Sidhulal Marandi.The SBM (Grameen) scheme came into effect from October 2, 2014 by Government of India to accelerate efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage, improve cleanliness and eliminate open defecation n India by October 2, 2019. Eligible households were supposed to be provided an incentive of Rs 12,000 per household for construction of IHHL. But without any financial incentive, the villagers alleged most of them prefer going to the open fields.
“We were told to spend the initial amount of Rs 4,000 to lay the foundation of the toilet. But we do not have that much money to spare even if we know we will be paid Rs 12,000 sooner or later,” the villagers said.Ward no 3 of the village has a population of around 400 and most of them are tribals. Similarly more than 2,000 voters live in ward no 4 and ward no 5 of the village and there too, only the financially stable families have reportedly been able to afford the cost of the toilets.Mayurbhanj collector Vineet Bhardwaj said he will order officials of RWSS, Rairangpur to visit the village and sort out the issues being faced by the residents.