ABDUL WAHAB KHAN | NT
PANAJI
India’s ambitious toilet-construction programme – part of the Swachh Bharat Mission to make India open-defecation free by 2019 – is far behind the target in the state, with the authorities managing to construct just 3,828 toilets as against the target of 75,000.
The progress of the mission is slow in terms of actual coverage of toilets in rural areas. According to the public works department (PWD) data on construction of individual household toilets in villages, the achievement is only five per cent.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission scheme that was launched in 2013, the state government planned to construct 75,000 single-seater pour-flush water-seal latrines in two years in villages, of which the target achieved so far for the year 2016-17 has been only 1,008 as against 1,041 achieved in 2015-16, 931 in 2014-15 and 848 in 2013-14. The PWD is the nodal agency for implementing various components of the scheme in the rural areas of the state through all 190 panchayat bodies.
This sanitary mission is, however, not new for Goa. Sanitation project was first implemented in the state in 1985 and the PWD had made Sulabh International as the nodal agency for constructing free toilets. Under this project, 97,103 single-seater toilets were constructed till March 2013.
In north Goa villages, under the Swachh Bharat Mission, PWD has constructed 1,873 toilets while in south Goa, the figure has been slightly higher at 1,955 toilets.
According to the figures released by the PWD on construction of individual household toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission as per constituencies, no toilets have been constructed in Taleigao, Cumbharjua, Calangute and Dabolim constituencies. Moreover, very few toilets, with numbers ranging from 6 to 42, were constructed in St Andre (6), St Cruz (20), Porvorim (21), Mapusa (25), Valpoi (27), Mormugao (33), Siolim (34), Vasco (36), Cortalim (37), Saligao (39), Ponda (39) and Mayem (42).
The maximum number of toilets were constructed in Poriem (443) followed by 303 in Pernem, 242 in Curchorem, Sanvordem (195), Sanguem (184) and 183 each in Cuncolim and Velim.
Attributing the poor response to difficulties in obtaining No-objection Certificate (NoC), a PWD official said, “The biggest stumbling block was NoC from the land owners to construct individual household toilets. We will soon instruct the local bodies and health department to issue direction to the house owners ensuring that no owner should give rooms on rent without providing proper toilet facilities.”