Don't construct toilets to just achieve targets, ensure they're functional: NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday asked the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and Uttar Pradesh to ensure that toilets constructed as part of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan are functional and are not constructed just to achieve set targets.

The NHRC's observations came in the case of gangrape and murder of a 13-year-old Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh's Kheri on Independence Day.

The victim had gone to relieve herself on the farmland owned by one of the accused and she was tortured before she was killed. The victim's house had a toilet but it was not functional.

Issuing notice to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, the NHRC said a report with details of the incident and disbursement of statutory relief should be submitted within six weeks.

The Chief Secretary is also expected to sensitise the district authorities in the State to create awareness that the toilets should not be constructed for mere fulfillment of the government records, they are to be actually made functional, the NHRC said.

It also found it appropriate to forward a copy of the news item to the Secretary of Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, which is the nodal ministry for the ‘Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan.

"It is expected from the Ministry to issue guidelines to all the states and union territories to ensure that the toilets are not only constructed but also used to make the country clean and save the women from the heinous crimes committed by anti-social elements when they go out to relieve themselves," the NHRC said asking the Jal Shakti Secretary to submit a report within six weeks.

UP Police had said that the National Security Act (NSA) will be slapped against the accused who were arrested within a few hours after the incident, it said.

In another incident, the NHRC also issued another notice to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police following media reports that Inspector of Govind Nagar police station asked a 16-year-old girl to dance in lieu of registering an FIR against the nephew of her landlord who has been molesting her. The girl with her family, lives in a rented accommodation in Dabauli West area of Govind Nagar.

"The girl's family earns livelihood by doing some Jagran parties etc and they had tried to lodge a complaint against the nephew of their landlord accusing him of molesting the girl besides forcibly evacuating them from the rented portion of the house, a few days ago," the NHRC said.

Media reports suggested that the police have denied the allegations and claimed that it appears that the girl has made the video viral in order to create pressure on the police, the NHRC said.