A recent census statistics show around 70 % households do not have toilets in Odisha. With contrast to 18 tribal districts of Odisha out of 30 districts, it is of high importance to have a toilet for tribal households as because the healthcare facilities are very less in such places. These naxal affected districts are being deprived of basic facilities like communication, infrastructure, etc. Odisha government has been taking necessary steps for the improvement of these tribal districts in the state by hiking salary of doctors posted in rural areas.
Gajapati district is one such district where more than 70 % people are tribal people who live in mountains and difficult terrains. Many villages in the district do not have roads. Majority of tribal people belong to Saura tribal group and they have their own culture, language and way of living.
Idea of “MO SWACHHA SOUCHALAYA” under Swachha Bharat Mission
Gajapati district administration started this campaign on 2nd of February ,2015 under the leadership of District Collector Mansi Nimbhal and two Departments District Water and Sanitation Mission, Gajapati and District Rural Development Mission,Gajapati.
Initiatives by district administration, Gajapati
- A team of ten members including Block Development Officers, One Prime minister’s development fellow and few SHG group members were sent to Nadia District of West Bengal to learn their “Sabar Sauchalaya” Model which is recently appreciated by UN and Nadia District is recently declared as First Open defecation free district of our country.
- A District level Launching program was arranged where all Sarpanch of 129 Gram panchayats few SHG groups, Zilla Parishad members, Block development officers and many district level officers were invited.
- A comprehensive guideline prepared looking at the local challenges and problems.
- Two teams were formed both at District level and Block level who will coordinate with each other in implementing the scheme (District Resource Team at District Level and Block resource Team at Block level )
Training:-
CLTS training was given to all Block resource team members by District Resource team members and each DRT members were allotted one panchayat to take charge in making that panchayat Open defecation free similarly BRTs also directed to coordinate with DRTs for those panchayats.
Under CLTS activities all anganwadi workers of concerned Panchayats, villagers and Sarpanch are called, Most of the time collector herself goes to attend the CLTS activity.
Case study of Luhangara panchayat
Although Gram vikash Ngo had undertaken Toilet construction work in few villages of this panchayat before seven years so the left out beneficiaries to be covered was around 540 Households. Once the CLTS meeting held in this panchayat ,community started owning the scheme and started constructing toilets on war footing mode. Base line survey was updated http://sbm.gov.in/TSC/NBA/NBAHome.aspx in swachh bharat mission online MIS and left out beneficiaries names were added. School children were mobilized to do rally and offer sand polythene bags to those people who go for open defecate so that they feel shame of their regular habit.
Block resource Team was formed and each member of the team was given one village of luhangara panchayat to constantly follow-up toilet construction work and report to the DRT member. Village level volunteers were selected who could motivate beneficiaries to construct toilets soon and spreading the awareness of toilet usage among tribal people of their villages. Villagers were asked to use local materials to building toilets as it is extremely difficult to make bricks and carry it to such cutoff and hilly terrains through a tractor or some other four wheelers.
Finally time to celebrate the open defecation free panchayat after three long months of making luhangara panchayat ODF. On 11th July 2015 all the villagers gathered at luhangara village to celebrate the ODF panchayat. All volunteers awarded certificate of appreciation from district collector Mansi Nimbhal (I.A.S) including Sarpanch Kabita sabar awarded a memento for making her panchayat open defecation free. All Block resource team members are appreciated for their hard work as well as DRT members by the district administration .