'8 Dalit families in Kanyana lack toilet facilities'

Cleanliness Ambassador for Dakshina Kannada district, Sheena Shetty, during his visit has found that eight SC/ST families in Kanyana of Bantwal taluk lack toilet facilities.

In a letter to ZP CEO Dr M R Ravi, he said that he had visited families in Balekodi, Kekanaje, Shirankallu and Iccha in Kanyana and found that out of 11 SC families, four houses do not have toilets while remaining four houses have toilets without soak pit, making it difficult to use. The toilet basins have been kept without making any effort to provide soak pit to the toilet. "As a result, the so-called toilet structures are in pathetic and deplorable condition," said Sheena Shetty.

One family in the colony has been using the toilet constructed under Total Sanitation campaign while two other families have constructed toilets on their own for the use.

In fact, Dakshina Kannada district was among the leaders in the implementation of the Total Sanitation campaign and Swachh Bharath Mission for the last 12 years. However, the concept of the open defecation-free district, remains still far from reality. "Without toilet facilities, women and children face inconvenience in the colony," he said.

Members of three families use the broken toilet of Seethu of Balekodi in the village, he added.

In the letter, he said, "Toilets are essential for maintaining the health and dignity of an individual as well as the village."

The ZP CEO has been asked to take up the issue seriously and ensure toilets are constructed for all those poor SC/ST families who do no have toilet facilities in the district.