SHAHPUR NAGAR PANCHAYAT DECLARED ODF ON PAPER ONLY

SHAHPUR NAGAR PANCHAYAT DECLARED ODF ON PAPER ONLY

14-DEC-ENG 7

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------The objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission is to make the country open defecation free (ODF) to improve public health and sanitation levels. In this regard, various municipalities and panchayats have been declared ODF. Shahpur Nagar Panchayat is one of them, having been declared open defecation free. However, when the ground reality is examined, a different picture emerges, raising serious questions about the fundamental objectives of this important campaign.

Shahpur Nagar Panchayat has a total of 11 wards, and according to sanitation standards, it is mandatory for each ward to have adequate toilet facilities, whether individual or community-based. But the situation in Shahpur Nagar Panchayat shows that the provision of community toilets is extremely weak and inadequate. Out of the 11 wards, community toilets have been constructed in only three wards—wards number 01, 10, and 11—while no such facility is available in the remaining eight wards.

A detailed analysis of the situation reveals that Ward No. 01 has a pre-existing community toilet, which is currently operational and available for use by citizens. This is a positive point, but compared to the situation in other wards, it appears to be an exception.

In contrast, the community toilet constructed in Ward No. 10, despite its construction, remains closed. It is a serious irony that where citizens should have access to toilet facilities, the constructed structure remains unusable. This highlights both the waste of public resources and the inconvenience faced by citizens.

The situation in Ward No. 11 is even more alarming. A total of three community toilets have been constructed in the block office premises. According to local residents, these toilets have neither been formally inaugurated nor have they ever been made operational for public use. The fact that three toilets have been constructed but remain unused reflects serious flaws in the implementation of the scheme and administrative apathy. Although one of these toilets is located near a referral hospital, people use it in emergencies despite the considerable filth.

If we talk about wards number 02 to 09 of the town, not a single community toilet has been constructed in these eight wards. This is a shocking situation in itself that approximately 70% of the town's wards are deprived of a basic facility like a community toilet. A mobile toilet has been placed in ward number 07, which is a temporary arrangement and highlights the lack of a permanent solution. This clearly indicates that most wards do not have access to public toilet facilities for their citizens.

There are certain prescribed protocols and conditions that must be followed to declare any town or ward Open Defecation Free (ODF). If a town's wards do not have adequate toilet facilities and yet it is declared ODF, it is a clear violation of the protocol.

The current situation of Shahpur Nagar Panchayat does not seem to meet the above-mentioned ODF criteria. The absence of community toilets in most wards, the closure of constructed toilets, and the ODF declaration despite inadequate facilities indicate that much work still needs to be done at the ground level. It is essential that the Nagar Panchayat administration takes serious note of this situation and ensures adequate and functional toilet facilities in all wards so that Shahpur Nagar Panchayat can truly become open defecation free and the true spirit of the Swachh Bharat Mission objectives can be honored. This is also extremely important for the health, dignity, and safety of the citizens.