Work on toilets stalled at Bhokhra village for want of funds

Sameer Singh

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 16

Work on more than 90 toilets has been lying stalled for over the past six months at Bhokhra village in Goniana block here. Reason: funds under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) could not be released by the Water and Sanitation Department. Subsequently, the process of starting work on over 200 toilets in the area has been lingering on since pending work on these 90 toilets could not be resumed.

Residents of different villages cite a delay in release of funds by authorities as a reason. But the authorities concerned have said that in many cases beneficiaries are responsible as they do not get the required work done with the first two instalments of funds.

Notably, the mission is aimed at making India an open defecation-free country in five years. Under which eligible beneficiaries (from rural areas fulfilling conditions) are provided Rs 15,000 (Rs 5,000 each in three instalments) to construct a toilet. Of total amount given to beneficiaries, Rs 9000 are funded by World Bank and Rs 6,000 is state government’s share.

Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Master Motivator, Bathinda block, said, “Stalled work on more than 90 toilets can be attributed to the delay in releasing of funds by the government. The government also failed to release our salaries for more than six months as a result we had to resort to observe strike that subsequently hampered the project work. We have constantly been bringing the matter of delayed funds to higher authorities who have given us assurance that it would be resolved soon. Work to construct toilets in some other villages had also been hit and could only be resumed after several hiccups.”

Amit Kumar, XEN, Water and Sanitation Department, said, “Funds are released to beneficiaries in three instalments after construction of leach pit Rs 5,000, after construction of room Rs 5,000 and after completion of toilet Rs 5,000. But irony is that people demand entire money Rs 15,000 in advance and some of them even spend Rs 5,000 given in first instalment for personal use. After picture of first stage of completed work is uploaded on the website (SBHPUNJAB.com).”