Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
The US Nagar district, despite achieving the remarkable feat of being declared open defecation-free (ODF) in the financial year 2020-21, continues to witness a consistent influx of demands for individual toilets, prompting the authorities to maintain strict vigilance to ensure equitable distribution of resources.
Since the initiation of the Swachh Bharat Mission in October 2014, which aimed to ensure every household had access to a toilet, significant progress has been made. In district US Nagar alone, 60 thousand houses were equipped with toilets, effectively eliminating open defecation in rural areas.
Despite this achievement, the demand for individual toilets persists, with a flood of applications pouring in. Notably, 10865 online applications have been received since the financial year 2023-24, with 6536 being rejected due to ineligibility after verification at the Gram Panchayat level. Ajay Singh, the project director of the Rural Development Department, said, “Online applications for individual toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission are ongoing. Development blocks have been directed to rigorously verify each application to ensure only eligible candidates receive the benefit.”
The reasons behind this unexpected demand are multifaceted. Despite the initial provision of toilets after the district’s ODF declaration, and also the construction of toilets in 7597 households in phase 2 of the Swachh Bharat Mission, factors such as family disintegration and evolving needs post the 2014 list have contributed to the surge in demand.
With a target of benefiting 4950 families in the current financial year, the administration continues to address the sanitation needs of its residents. Notably, even those who received toilets in the previous phases of the Swachh Bharat Mission are applying for individual toilets through the Common Service Centers (CSC).
“In response to this persistent demand, rigorous verification processes in all seven blocks of the district have been implemented to ensure the allocation of resources to deserving candidates”, Singh said.
