The Prime Minister’s ambitious ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ seems to be turning into ‘Sarvnash Bharat’ (Disastrous India) scheme even in the areas neighbouring his own constituency. Researchers of the Institute for Compassionate Economics, a reputed American agency, are carrying an extensive research related to Swachh Bharat in many areas of UP. The agency believes that such campaigns will reduce down to mere slogans unless the cleanliness mindset of the common Indians changes.
The researchers found in their survey that the conditions of the toilets in rural areas are the worst. On one hand, government agencies showcase big figures under ODF (open defecation free India.). Whereas, in reality, not even half that number of toilets are constructed. Referring to a village in UP, the agency says that government papers have claimed that 576 toilets have been constructed till October, but on the contrary, it has been found in the investigation that only 26 toilets, i.e., 4.5 per cent of those were operational. 79 toilets are claimed to be swept off in the flood.
And don’t even start on the quality of these toilets constructed by contractors. The agency claims a sack of cement, and poor quality bricks are put together to merely increase the official figures. 30% of the surveyed toilets didn’t even have the commodes. About 90 to 95 per cent of the restrooms were either locked or broken or people were using them as a warehouse. In many schools, there were shocking malfunctions – where the girls’ washrooms had men urinals installed in them. The school administration said it was so because the girls did not use toilets made in schools as they were dirty. And the school administration isn’t quite keen to bother to provide that cleanliness.