Public of Jiribam express concerns on quality of toilets constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission
Source: The Sangai Express
Jiribam, September 02 2019:
Claiming that the initiative taken up by the Central Government to increase sanitation coverage in the rural areas by ensuring toilet facilities for every household under Swachh Bharat Mission has been put at risk due to mismanagement in implementing the scheme by some individuals, denizens of Jakuradhor GP and Borobekra GP of Barak Circle have urged the Chief Minister N Biren Singh to look into the matter at the earliest.
Speaking to media person during an inspection drive carried out by team of journalists, one of the ward members of Jakuradhor GP said that they don't have any idea under which scheme the toilets are being constructed as the authorities concerned haven't provided any prior information about it.
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The construction work of the toilets began by the concerned contractors without consulting the members of Water and Sanitation Committee which was formed for implementing the scheme in the area, he said, adding that the contractors also didn't provide any data regarding the progress of the work in the area.
On the other hand, one of the contractors said that altogether 133 toilets have been constructed in the first phase and construction works of 200 out of the targeted 270 for the second phase have also been completed.
Refuting the statement of the contractor, a team of media persons led by L Rajen Singh, member of Jakuradhor Ward no 1, went to the houses of Th Maniko Singh and L Gurumohan Singh and found out that the toilets were of inferior quality as the toilets were constructed using bamboo splits (wachet) and GI Sheets.
The owners of the houses complaint that only few materials were provided to them for the construction of toilets and most of the works including digging a hole were done by them.
They further complaint that the materials were not sufficient for the construction.
Pradhan of Borobekra GP, Lalzading Hmar said that Water and Sanitation Committee, which was formed as per the instruction of higher authority for the implementation of the scheme, is lying without any purpose till date.
Stating that not a single information has been provided to him about the construction of toilets in the GP, Lalzading Hmar said that he had signed a paper for the completion of construction work in the area as per the request of one member from Ward no 3 .
Stating that a signboards which read "Open Defecation Free Village" were installed at the two villages even though the denizens of the two GPs are not pleased with the implementation of the scheme in the areas, he urged the State Government to intervene and do the needful at the earliest.