Sanitation: State excludes Gram Panchayats, includes BDOs

Kolkata: The state government has excluded the Gram Panchayat (GP) from the work of universal access to safe sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and has instead assigned the task to the Block Development Officers along with the Self-Help Groups (SHGs). The Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) department has set August 15 as the deadline for ensuring toilet facilities in every rural household.

In a recent communique to the district magistrates, secretary of P&RD department P Ulaganathan made it clear that universal access to safe sanitation facilities is one of the key mandates for the ongoing rural sanitation programme. Providing access to safe sanitation helps in uplifting human dignity and addressing many health issues, especially water and vector-borne diseases.

West Bengal has 1205946 SHGs with 1,2200764 women members. As per instructions by the P & RD department, the SHG women will campaign on the need for toilets in their respective areas and will prepare a list of households which don’t have one.

The list will be submitted to the BDO who will check whether anyone had earlier availed the scheme benefits.

There are instances when people took money from the state government but have not constructed toilets. Previously, this identification of the beneficiaries was done by the elected Gram Panchayat representatives. After the BDO prepares the final beneficiaries’ list, the sanction letter will be issued.

To sensitize them about the process of construction of such facilities with twin pit toilets, the BDO will hold a meeting with the beneficiaries at the block level.

The SHGs will keep an eye on construction work and the BDOs will hold workshops with the former on how to monitor work. Efforts should be made to complete toilet construction and the payment of incentive for such purpose on or before August 13.

Sources said Murshidabad is lagging behind in terms of toilet facilities in households. Jhargram, South Dinajpur, Malda, Siliguri and East Midnapore will also need to buck up. Alipurduar and Purulia have performed well with 100 percent coverage already achieved.

In October 2014, the centre had initiated the SBM programme with the purpose to stop open defecation. The work has been done in Bengal through the Gram Panchayat functionaries but there was delay in execution of the scheme in some areas that has prompted their exclusion.