MP woman back with husband after in-laws build toilet at home

22-year-old Seema Patel, who left her husband over a year-and-half ago due to lack of toilet facility has now returned home after her in-laws complied with her demand for building one.

Seema left her marital home in Shahpur here while she was pregnant, after umpteen attempts to convince her in-laws to have a toilet in their house failed.

Now 20 months on, her in-laws have finally realised the necessity of a toilet at home after social groups and media highlighted the matter lauding Seema for her courageous decision.

"Finally, we have constructed a toilet with the help of a local woman sarpanch of Shahpur," her husband Mohan said.

Yesterday, Seema and her 19-month-old baby girl were accorded a warm welcome at a function organised at the Panchayat Bhavan in Shahpur before her husband took them home.

The woman Sarpanch of Shahpur panchayat, Mangita Bai, also honoured her on the occasion.

Recognising Seema's move, Betul District Collector Gyaneshwar B Patil said that she will be enlisted as the 'Swacchhata Doot' (messenger of cleanliness) in view of the courage shown by her in ensuring her right to sanitation facilities.

Seema, who belongs to Itarsi in Hoshangabad district, had married Mohan in May 2012 and moved out to live with her parents in January 2014.

Mohan's parents at that time had cited lack of funds as one of the reasons behind not building a toilet in the house but when the Sarpanch came to know about it, she took the initiative to get a toilet constructed in their house.