Toilets still a mirage in tribal haadis of Kodagu

Though Kodagu won an open defecation free award in 2016, the tribal haadis in the district are still devoid of toilet facilities.

There is a lack of public toilets in urban areas as well. Because of this, there are still miles to go before the district becomes open defecation free in reality.

Owing to the lack of public toilets, the tourists who visit the district are inconvenienced.

Toilets are still not used in the tribal haadis in the district. About 65,000 individual toilets have been constructed under the Total Sanitation drive, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan and Swaccha Bharath Mission since 2006 in the district.

According to officials, 90% of the toilets have been constructed in 104 Gram Panchayats in the district.

In 2020-21, out of 537 individual toilets, 250 have been completed. The work on the remaining 287 toilets are in progress, said officials.

Financial assistance of Rs 12,000 is given for those poor in the general category for the construction of individual toilets, while SC/ST beneficiaries get a grant of Rs 15,000.

However, beneficiaries feel that the amount is sufficient only for the toilet pits. With the rise in the price of construction materials, there is a need to increase the amount given under financial assistance.

The labourers from outside the state and district residing in line houses of coffee estates still defecate in open. The toilets constructed under Sulabha Shauchalaya are in a dilapidated condition.

Though funds have been utilised fully for the construction of toilets in tribal haadi, they are unutilised by the tribals. The tribals still defecate in open.

There are more than 250 haadis in Kodagu. However, only a few haadis have seen development.

Those residing inside Nagarahole forest and on Paisari land do not have toilets.

In spite of residing in the forest land for generations, title deeds are still not given to them. As a result, they did not get any benefit under Swaccha Bharat Mission.

Sandesh, a resident of Madikeri, said, "There is a lack of public toilets in tourist places. As a result, visitors are inconvenienced."

Mahesh, a resident of Somwarpet, said, "The financial assistance for the construction of toilets is meagre and is not sufficient for the construction of a toilet."

Shortage of water

J R Subramani, a tribal leader from Devarapura haadi, said, "There is an acute shortage of water for the use of toilets. Gram Panchayats have not supplied water to the haadi. The forest department is not providing permission to lay the water pipeline. As a result, the haadi residents still fetch a pot of water from rivulets and other water bodies that flow in the nearby area. The water from open wells is not potable."

Zilla Panchayat former member P R Pankaja said, "The toilets constructed in tribal haadis cannot be used. As a result, they are now covered in weeds due to lack of maintenance."