Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 22: Although many diseases and health problems are related to the improper disposal of human excreta and improper environmental sanitation, at least 50% of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in Jammu and Kashmir are without toilets and all are defecating in open thereby giving invitation to the health hazards not only for themselves but for others too.
This situation is despite the fact that sufficient funding is being given to the State under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) Scheme of Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, whose major objective is to encourage cost effective and appropriate technologies for ecologically safe and sustainable sanitation and accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
The Ministry during the Phase-II monitoring of the scheme conducted through third party independent monitors by way of assessing the implementation of the programme in terms of providing Individual Household Latrines and usage of the facility amongst the households, came to know that Jammu and Kashmir still have at least 50% of BPL households without toilets. It has also come to the fore that only 2% of the total households are using community toilets or sanitary complexes.
It is pertinent to mention here that third party monitoring is conducted by National Level Monitors, who are retired civil/defence service officers having experience in rural development sector. Even academia with proven experience in social work related to rural development are appointed as monitors.
Notwithstanding the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is the State where the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded villages have achieved and sustained the coverage in terms of having functional Individual Household Latrines, open defecation was observed by the National Level Monitors, sources said, adding in 30% of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded villages, which were visited by the NLMs, practice of open defecation was noticed.
“In this way, not only the objective of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan is getting defeated but also the people are exposed to health hazards as many diseases and child health problems are mainly linked to consumption of unsafe drinking water, improper disposal of human excreta, improver environmental sanitation and lack of proper hygiene practices”, sources said, adding “the effects of poor sanitation seep into every aspect of life—health, nutrition, development, economy, dignity and empowerment”.
In order to provide cost effective sanitary material at the local level, the Union Minister has provided an outlet called– Rural Sanitary Mart but in Jammu and Kashmir only 4% Rural Sanitary Marts were found operational. “In the districts of Budgam, Kishtwar, Poonch, Reasi, Samba and Shopian, the procurement is not done through Rural Sanitary Mart”, sources informed.
As far as institutional coverage under the scheme is concerned, sources said, “the programme envisages coverage of sanitation facility for the schools and Anganwadis in the rural areas as these are the appropriate institutions for changing the behavior, mindset and habits of children through motivation and education”.
However, the National Level Monitors noticed that only 79% of the schools in the visited villages were having toilet facility while as only 39% Anganwadis were having toilet facilities.
Follow our WhatsApp channel