A step closer to better India
It is very rare in Indian political history that the vow taken by any politician after coming to power is coming true. The oath taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Independence Day to make India free from open air defecation for women has taken a step closer to its project. In Uttar Pradesh, one hundred and eight spotless clean toilets have been donated by the Sanitation Charity ‘Sulabh.’ It is a step closer to make India better for women and to improve their health standards, as now no more impoverished women around that area would need to go to defecate in open.
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Almost half of India’s population have no proper urinating facilities, even at home or around their area, which forces people, especially women, to travel to far places from their homes and also make them prone to attacks by vandals on their way. The toilets were donated to Katra Shahadatganj a village in northern Uttar Pradesh. Women here had no other options but to relieve themselves in open, at odd hours of night.
UNICEF estimates that almost 594 million – or nearly 50 percent of India’s population – defecate in the open, with the situation acute in dirt-poor rural areas.
Around some 300 million women and girls, who have to go outside to attend nature’s call are not only getting exposed to the risk of infection and diseases but also to the fear of being teased or harassed by the men around.
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Prime Minister NarendraModi on his Independence Day speech threw a light on this subject and promised to ensure availability of toilets in every household within next four years.
While showing concern and marking it as a serious topic to look upon, Narendra Modi further questioned everyone if they realize the number of problems a woman must have faced while defecating in open. Encouraged by Modi’s comment, Sulabh donated one hundred and eight toilets each costing about Rs.45,000 to villagers and is planning to do much more.
Earlier too, this Katra village was in new,s when sometime back two girls were found hanging dead on a tree, when they had gone out to the fields after dark to defecate ( their homes lacked a toilet like most of the houses in their district).
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“I believe no woman should lose her life just because she has to go out to defecate,” said Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of sanitation charity Sulabh which built the toilets.
“Our aim is to provide a toilet to every household in the country in the not too distant future,” Pathak added.
This step is a good approach to make India a better place to live in and the promise for a better future. This sanitation program has also seen active involvement of celebrities such as Bollywood actress Vidya Balan was roped in by the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as brand ambassador to spread awareness about sanitation and cleanliness in the country. Vidya’s involvement is hoped to give better results and to end open defecation.
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