The Curse of Open Defecation

by | Sep 19, 2017 | 0 comments

When you look for an apartment or paying guest room for yourself, following questions are mostly in our checklist

“Is washroom attached? “

“Do I have to share it with the fellow flat mate or roommate “.

Most of us reject the room/apartment if washroom isn’t attached or if we have to share it with someone else.

Now imagine this

You are sharing your toilet with 40 to 50 people at a time.

Imagine you are doing it in front of opposite gender in open.

To the top of it, the place where you defecate is located a kilometer away from your house.

Fecal contamination causes death of 200,000 children every year.

Sound horrible? Yes because it is horrible.

Such is the story of Jai Hind camp, a slum near the posh area of Vasant Kunj.

I assure you the people living there are made up of same DNA as yours.

I was there for baseline survey when I got chance to Interact with the community leader Fatima.

Quiet recently FORCE has constructed Community Toilet Complex over there with intervention of DUSIB. Fatima   was thankful for that but due to non provision of electricity, the toilet isn’t working yet.

Fatima is working hard to get BSES agree to provide electricity to the toilet complex in her area.

Meanwhile she revealed some heart melting details to me, like

“How their legs are full of insect bites” , “How common are there the diseases like diarrhea, intestinal worm infections, etc.”

She further added that women go for toileting under cover of darkness.

Teary eyed Fatima goes saying “open defecation is a curse”.

Being a community leader she is strong woman though, and is positive that Toilet complex soon would be working.

Toilets must be demand-driven, and the demand can come from women like Fatima. 

About the Author

Zeenat Farooq

Technical Analyst

Related Blog Posts

Abba Matloob

Abba Matloob

In this great and big world, we see so little .How many of us actually know about a small town somewhere harboring people like you and me (without using Google). We live in uncertainty until things unfold, and sometimes we happen to discover new places, new faces and...

Join in the conversation

Leave a Comment

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Join for notifications on events, campaigns, & news

Blue India Program of FORCEWater Security Program

Our Water Conservation program to create awareness, innovate, design, implement projects on ground and impact government policy for 5 R’s of Water Conservation by working with communities for water security

Read More

Reduce Water Wastage                                                Recycle Waste Water

Reuse Used Water                                                         Respect Water

Recharge Groundwater (Rainwater Harvesting)

Clean Wash Program of FORCEWaste & WASH Program

To create awareness, innovate, design, implement projects & impact government policy for Dignified life, Easy and Sustainable access to Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for the urban poor and rural India. Also work for Solid Waste Management.

Read More

Jal Rakshak Water Guardian NetworkJal Rakshak & Water Guardian Network

To highlight, empower, connect and reward Water Wise citizens who work and implement water conservation initiatives in communities to help make them water secure

Go to Jal Rakshak & Water Guardian Network Website

PJRB SPARCPJRB SPARC

To Educate, Innovate, Inspire and Enable a sustainable, water abundant world by a shift towards profitable, health-giving, water & resource efficient agriculture for food and water secure nation

Go to PJRB SPARC Website

Watch Your FootprintWatch your footprint

Donate to FORCE

Browse Campaigns

Start Your Own Campaign

Pin It on Pinterest

Shares
Share This