RAIPUR: Nothing is hidden about woman's attachment with jewellery. But
what shocked the administration in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh
was the initiative of two women from Badedhaba village who mortgaged
their jewellery to get the toilets built in their houses. Motivated with
these two women, around three dozen other women also did the same and
managed to get private toilets for themselves. The village which has 80%
population relieving in open had more than 100 new toilets in past four
months and now the administration has now come forward to help these
families by making them avail the money from government policy under
clean India mission.
It started when Jambai (widow of late
Sanichar das) and Gaurabai who were forced to attend the nature's call
in open have decided to get toilets build for themselves. The women
initially approached their families but later had to find the other way
when Jambai's in-laws refused to get toilet for her while Gaurabai's
husband was more keen to buy a bike then getting a toilet built at home.
The
women mortgage their gold necklaces at Rs 20,000 to a rich man in the
village and got a toilet. The incident moved the other women of the
village who too initiated for building personal toilets.
Talking
to TOI, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zila panchyat Mahasamunda
district, Pushpendra Meena informed that Badedhaba village under Basna
block which has around 307 households had just 10 houses with personal
toilets in the month of November, last year.
"In past four
months, the village has 125 houses with toilets. The sarpanch has
promised that all the households will get toilets built within a month's
time, that too without any government aid," CEO.