Tamil Nadu: eco‐san toilet promoter Sridharan

Varadharajapuram is a village on the banks of River Kaveri in Thottiyam Block of Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu, India. Being a water‐logged area because of the closeness to the river, people in the village cannot construct low‐cost toilet models. Except five families, the remaining families were practicing open defecation on the river banks and on the road sides leading to the banana groves.

Sridharan, a 32 year old youth, one day had a chance to attend a village meeting of women self‐help groups formed by Gramalaya, a local NGO. The field staff from Gramalaya was talking about the formation of Association for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (AWASH ) committees in the village. They also briefed the women  about the dangers of open defecation nearby the water bodies and the importance of having toilets at the households.

Scripting history at 3,600 feet

Suka Bewa, an 85 year-old lady, brightens up and she has plenty of reasons for this. At such a ripe old age she will no longer have to tread on an arduous path, moving down and climbing up 4 kilometers of hilly terrain to fetch water … drinking water. She also rejoices in the fact that she can have a regular bath.

Suka Bewa

Situated at around 3,600 feet (1,142 metre) high from the sea level, on the top and plains of Tijmali Hills, Kalahandi Distict, a South-West Distict of Orissa,Indiat, the village Tijmali is a world apart. The shortest route to reach the village is by climbing up 3 kilometers from Amjhola Village. The very fact that neither an anganwadi worker nor indeed any health worker has visited the village demonstrates the apathy and neglect suffered by the 87 people of 18 families residing in the village.

It’s all barren land on the top, as far as eye can see – there is no greenery on it – only challenges to offer. The villagers have to take up a Herculean task every time they want to buy basic things like oil, salt and rice. But the greatest of challenges was to arrange a 3/4 bucket full of drinking water a day to each family -the bare minimum requirement.

They would offer you food whatever they have, but not water
ITDA Official

Family members used to head for the stream near Amjhola village before the crack of the dawn as they had to finish the daily chores before the heat of the day. They then had to climb back up hill with buckets of drinking water under the beating sun as it would be nearing noon. Old-aged people, women and children used to have a bath once in three days.