Survey of SC communities in 13 villages of Belagavi shows 50% of houses lack toilet

Bengaluru: More than seven years after Belagavi district was declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), a survey of 390 households from marginalised communities in Chikkodi taluk has found that half of them did not have an attached toilet, while 74% of the respondents reported that they know of other women who defecate in the open.

The survey of households in 13 villages was conducted by ActionAid Karnataka Projects (AKP). It focused on the Scheduled Caste households to understand the availability of toilets, barriers to the construction and use of toilets, women-specific sanitation challenges and community demands related to such infrastructure.

The survey relied on primary data collected through 38 questions asked to the 390 households, most of which had one to three women/girl residents. This was backed by secondary data derived from reports and research work, which had thrown light on the continuation of open defecation, a major threat to public health, often leading to diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid.

The survey found that 196 (50.25%) households did not have a toilet at home. Six of the 13 villages did not have public/community toilets and see open defecation, while lack of water connection has hindered access to such facilities in three villages (Kallol, Kammattenatti and Nagarmunnoli). Respondents in at least one village (Ingali) said the toilet was unusable due to a lack of cleanliness.

However, 288 (73.84%) respondent households said they knew about other women in the village going to fields and open spaces to defecate.  “With no toilets in their homes, women either go to public/community toilets, neighbours’ toilets or out into the open, especially during their periods,” the report said.

Water scarcity

The main source of water in the area surveyed is tap water, with 96.2% of the respondents claiming to have a tap water connection at home. Of those who have a tap, 65% said they got it under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

However, residents of at least three villages (Ankali, Mugali and Kungatoli) said they do not get a regular supply of water and often wait four or more days. In other places, the water was a problem, with 20% of the 390 households stating that the water they collect was not sufficient for toilet usage.

“For adolescent girls and women in rural India, the absence of a toilet is not a minor inconvenience — it is a daily compromise of their dignity, safety, and health. Gram panchayats, as the first tier of democratic governance, bear the responsibility of ensuring that no woman is left without this basic right,” Raghavendra B Pachhapur, Senior Lead Projects of AKP, said.

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department Director Randeep D said, “There are problems that need to be corrected at the structural level. The major issues include providing a reliable water supply, hiring an agency for regular maintenance and providing solutions that respond to the practical
realities."