No loo, Sangrur Dalits plan protest

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, June 4

Belying the government’s claim of making villages open defecation free (ODF) under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), around 65 Dalit families, including 200 girls and women of Chathe Nakte village, have no toilet at their homes.

The panchayat has given them a piece of land, adjacent to a place where dog carcasses are dumped, around half km away from village to defecate in the open.

Besides, the also have to bear indecent remarks from drunkards at a liquor vend, which is located on the way to the ground.

Many a time, snakes also find shelter in the long bushes on the way to the plot. Fearing snakes, they are forced to use roadside bushes or embankments of a polluted water drain, passing from near their village.

“Many women have been attacked by dogs. Besides, passersby also make fun of us whenever we go to the plot side. It has been going on for the past many years as our repeated pleas for money and space to construct toilets have fallen on deaf ears,” alleged 50-year-old Jasveer Kaur, former panch of village.

Today, Dalits decided to launch an agitation if the authorities fail to construct toilets at the earliest.

“Not only women, men also face similar problems,” said Balwinder Singh, another Dalit from the village.

Village sarpanch Jagjit Singh confirmed that he was elected in 2013, but did not get a single penny for toilets.

“Our resolution for the construction of toilets for all Dalits has been pending with the authorities for the past two years,” said the sarpanch.

Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO), Sunam, Baljit Singh confirmed that the proposal was pending with the naib tehsildar for verification of houses.

“Earlier, the village panchayat secretary was conducting the house verification. Later, it was handed over to the Sunam naib tehsildar. I have asked them to conduct it at the earliest. We are completing all formalities to provide toilets to all,” said the BDPO.