Sarpanch Builds Toilets For Each House & A School In Village By Taking A Loan Of 24 Lakh

Curbing sanitation requires changing habits and not just construction of lavatories – The Economist

Hygiene is the most important factor in everybody’s life. As the statement goes “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” taught in our primary schools emphasizes on this habit. In India, this is a huge problem to tackle as people lack basic sanitation facilities. Every 1 in 10 deaths in villages is linked with sanitation issue. Issues related to sanitation are many if we pen down but the most important one is the cause of diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhea. The next issue is due to sanitation girls are deprived of education and hence forced to drop out at an early age.

Where does India stand?

India is behind many poorer countries in terms of sanitation like Afghanistan, Burundi and Congo. Sanitation if provided in an appropriate way will help to eliminate many issues. First and foremost being the diseases which are spreading because of this will be cut down. Provides better educational facilities for girls as well. Help improve the productivity of the people as they live healthily.Keeping this in mind this issue is changing from the past years in India.

An inspiration

One such incident can be cited in Saragaon village of Raipur district Chhattisgarh. Pramila Sahu who is the Sarpanch of this village decided to go on the spree of building lavatories for each house and schools in this village. This lady was ridiculed for her education as she did not receive any, by the villagers saying that “What progress will she make, who herself doesn’t have any education”. But these jokes which the villagers cracked on her did not for once make her weak. Instead, she herself started getting the education, not only this she also gathered elderly and women from the village and help them seek education. The next step she took was taking a loan of 24 lakhs on her name and started building sanitation facilities for the whole of the village.

The village which is lined with the Bauladabazaar road of Raipur district had no lavatories in 70% of the houses six months back. The schools which are the basic medium of education lacked these facilities as well. That is the time when SMt. Pramila Sahu was elected as the Sarpanch of this village. And today this village is having the basic facility of sanitation due to her efforts. Her constant support being her husband and her confidence made this issue tackle in a very less time. This proves what is the importance of sanitation.

The Logical Indian applauds the work done by Pramila Sahu and hopes she inspires millions of Indians to stop open defecation.