Construction of community toilets under The Wickan Project after the increase in local illnesses due to open defecation, contaminated drinking water and lack of sanitation
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Saraswati Paswan was born without both legs. Without legs, it was hard to do routine, it was more difficult during defecation. There was no toilet in the house. To defecate, one had to crawl to the nearest field or bamboo grove.
13-year-old Saraswati of Saday (Musahar) settlement of Lahan-11 Pararia now goes to the toilet sitting in a wheelchair.
is facilitated by the disabled-friendly community toilet of the settlement. She says, 'It used to be very difficult, now it has become much easier. I love the toilet more than the house.'
There are two ponds on either side of Pararia's Saday Basti. Adjacent to the pond are fields and bamboo groves. The local prince says that he always first goes to the nearby fields and bamboo groves to defecate. "There was a lot of trouble at first. If the landlord found out, he would come to beat him. This pool was a place to wash hands," he said. "Now I don't even want to look at the fields. I go to the toilet with my breath.'
After the increase in the incidence of local diseases due to open defecation, contaminated drinking water and lack of sanitation, work has been started for the construction of community toilets, clean drinking water and sanitation in collaboration with Lahan Municipality, Nepal Drinking Water Institute, Water Aid, Alien Water and Dalit Janakalyan Yuva Club under The Wikan Project. In the first phase of the project, community toilets have been constructed in Lahan-11 Pararia and Ward 22 Jahdi. 46-year-old Somnidevi Paswan is the president of Salesh-Dinabhadri Community Toilet Operation and Management Committee in Parria. There is a toilet with 10 seats under his supervision. One is disability friendly. Toilets have been allotted to 250 people in 30 houses. 100 rupees per month is taken from every house and spent on toilet cleaning and electricity bills. Paswan said, "There were many problems with the first illness. There has been a lot of improvement now. Lutni Devi Saday supervises the toilet of Jahdi. About 200 people from 22 houses in the settlement use the community toilet.
A few years ago when the 'open defecation free zone' was declared, pans and seats were distributed here. The landless Paswan and Musahar communities, who were forced to share kitchen and sleep in the same room, became more distressed after the toilet was added. Kitchen and toilet became inseparable. Due to this, the source of drinking water became polluted. As a result, cases of skin, diarrhea and waterborne diseases increased.
Lahan-22 Jahdi's 58-year-old Kitchener Saday built a toilet near the kitchen where she kept firewood. ``The toilet made me sick,'' said Kuganiya Devi, ``Elder son got diarrhea. I'm Daad surprised me. After going to the health post, it was found out that the contaminated water had made the patient sick.'
According to the health branch of Lahan municipality, last year, about 400 people were treated for skin diseases in Pararia alone. In Lahan-11, more than 500 people fell ill due to contaminated drinking water. In Lahan-22 last year, more than 400 patients with skin diseases were seen. In this ward, around 800 people fell ill due to the use of contaminated drinking water. "Most of the patients had problems of typhoid, diarrhea, and lice," said Ramanand Chaudhary, head of the health department.
Lutni Devi said that the number of patients decreased after using the toilet. "This is not only a toilet, it has also become a house to get rid of diseases for us," she said. Lahan Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary said that community toilets have been constructed targeting Musahar, Paswan and Dom settlements. He informed that the pipeline for drinking water is under construction. The project manager of Water Aid, Rajesh Lohani, said that the goal is to build community toilets and provide clean drinking water in all 24 wards of Lahan.
