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Voices from Rupaloo Rajpur
An equitable and inclusive approach to end open defecation in Tribal communities- Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Government of Madhya Pradesh
“Cleanliness is next to godliness. Let us stop defecating in open and save our health, wealth, dignity, privacy and time” (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) Chief Minister
for every child UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh
Government of Madhya Pradesh
Equity and inclusiveness are important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. None of the targets can be achieved without equity and inclusion. As we are moving close to universal access to safe sanitation, the challenges related to equity and inclusion are emerging in many folds. The ODF journey of Alirajpur is a learning platform to address the issues. Swachh Bharat Mission has made much headway in terms of providing access to household sanitation and creating open defecation free communities in the State. The Census of India, 2011 ranked the State as second lowest performer in the country in terms of latrine within the rural premises. Despite challenges, the State has shown outstanding performance in scaling up Community Approaches to Sanitation (CAS) equitably in all its villages. The household sanitation coverage in rural areas of the State has increased from 29% as on 2 October 2014 to above 87% as on 25 April 2018. More than that, 20 districts, 25428 villages (49.7%) and 10380 Gram Panchayats (45%) have been declared as ODF. The achievement in Alirajpur is exemplary. The State is committed to become open defecation free by 2nd October 2018. This requires equitable contribution of each non-ODF district to the average pace. Alirajpur journey will help us in addressing the challenges.
Asit Gopal State Program Officer Swachh Bharat Mission-G, Madhya Pradesh TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Acronyms ...... 1 Squatting with equity ...... 2 1: BACKGROUND...... 4 1.1 Introduction...... 4 1.2 Rural Sanitation in Madhya Pradesh...... 5 1.3 Sanitation Revolution...... 5 1.4 Equity & Inclusion: Challenges...... 6 2: ADDRESSING EQUITY IN SANITATION-THE ALIRAJPUR WAY...... 9 Context 2.1 Introduction...... 9 2.2 Challenges in Alirajpur, the tribal dominant district...... 9 2.3 Framework of Community Approaches to Sanitation (CAS)...... 11 2.4 Equity focused CAS: Unique in Alirajpur ODF Journey Interventions...... 16 2.5 ODF- a collective responsibility...... 18 Planning & Implementation 2.6 Tapping Synergy ...... 20 2.7 Community managed monitoring & surveillance ...... 22 2.8 Innovative approaches to create enabling environment...... 25 3: WAY FORWARD: Sustaining ODF Status...... 26 4: INCLUDING EXCLUDED...... 30 4.1 Eklavya - The Royal Guard...... 31 4.2 Migrant Brick Klin workers become a part of rural sanitation ...... 32 4.3 A beacon to the Tribals of Alirajpur...... 34 4.4 Illuminati Teens Make the Misision Possible ...... 35
List of Acronyms
ASHA Accredited Social Health Activist AWW Anganwadi Workers BCC Behaviour Change Communication CATS Community Approaches to Total Sanitation CEO Chief Executive Officer DBT Direct Benefit Transfer GP Gram Panchayat GRS Gram Rozgar Sahayak IEC Information Education and Communication IHHL Individual Household Latrine IIM Indian Institute of Management IPC Inter Personal Communication MP Madhya Pradesh NBA Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan NGP Nirmal Gram Puruskar NFHS National Family and Health Survey OD Open Defecation ODF Open Defecation Free PHC Primary Health Centres PRI Panchayati Raj Institutions SBCC Social and Behaviour Change Communication SBM Swachh Bharat Mission SBM (G) Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin SC Scheduled Caste SHG Self-Help Group ST Scheduled Tribe RTGS Real Time Gross Settlement TSC Total Sanitation Campaign UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund WASH Water and Sanitation Hygiene
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Squatting With Equity Rupaloo Rajpur……this was our call, this is our vision. Wondering why? Because, in our local dialect Rupaloo means aesthetic, the sense of beauty. Cleanliness is a pathway to make surrounding aesthetic appreciating. As it was realized, we acted upon and achieved it.
We, the people of 7512 tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh, are living in the most difficult to reach areas, have finally able to end the age old practice of easing in open, forever. It took less than 720 days. We did not count the days, but counted the quantum of excreta reduced in open on each day, in every moment. Now we have our loo, none of us defecate in open.
But it was not like now. The virgin forest, the vibrant bushes, the vicious terrains were definitely moaning when we used to make them filthy and fecally contaminated. We were not habituated to use water for ablution. Use of dagra (stone) for cleaning was our tradition, our generational practice. All changed all of a sudden. Wondering how? A silent revolution has swept away the old order.
Wondering, what we were then and who we are now……….
Now our children go to school regularly and come back with new learning, we learn from them. Now our women raise their voice and choice, we listen to them. Now new leaders are up in arms, we follow them.
We, nearly 1 million people of 537 villages spanning 6 blocks of Alirajpur district have made the mission possible. We are the one among the largest contributors to tribal population of the Nation. Unfortunately, we largely contribute to the infant mortality, stunting and illiteracy of the country too.
Now we must save our hardcore income. Our children will definitely thrive and grow. They must play as long as they want, with renewed zeal and recharged energy. Our daughters will surely go to school and learn and walk with dignity. Women will certainly be freed from day light imprisonment. Mothers must have healthy babies on their lap.
Sanitation is a radical health alternative, at least to us.
Remaining clean is now more than a mission, a passion, at last for us.
3 1BACKGROUND 1.1 Introduction Being the tribal heart land, MP is the second Open Defecation Free (odf) largest state by area and sixth largest by ODF commune is a global policy priority. The population. The State, spreads over 308,000 Sustainable Development Goals call for square kilometers, is bordered in the North-East complete elimination of open defecation by by Uttar Pradesh, in South-East by Chattishgarh, 2030. India has taken an ambitious challenge to in South by Maharashtra, in West by Guirat and achieve it by 2019. SBM has not only made ODF North-West by Rajasthan. The state is having a buzzword but also defined it with measurable 72.6 million people catered in 51201 villages indicators. Sanitation is a state subject and spanning 22824 Gram Panchayats of 313 flexibility has been awarded to the states Blocks (sub-districts) in 51 districts. MP is the developing specific protocol to measure ODF largest contributor of tribal population in India. under the purview of its principle. SBM has According to Census 2011, it contributes to defined ODF as “the termination of fecal-oral 14.7% of the total tribes in the country, i.e. 15.3 transmission, defined by: million out of 104.3 million. Nearly 46 tribal 1 . N o v i s i b l e f e c e s f o u n d i n t h e groups including 5 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal environment/village; Groups contribute to 21.2% of the state 2.Every household as well as public/community population. institutions using safe technology option for Madhya Pradesh has historically been disposal of feces. one of the slow movers in terms of access and usage of household sanitation in rural areas. The Madhya Pradesh has developed its own norms Census of India, 2011 ranked the state as second and standards to mentor and monitor the lowest performer in the country having latrine attainment of and attachment with ODF. The within the rural premises. The state has also been indicators of an ODF commune has been devised struggling to improve other development as- indicators. Though IMR has reduced to 3 1. All households of the village have safe toilet percentage point in 2017, MP has replaced technology option in usable condition Assam to top the list of having highest IMR in rural 2. No person defecate in open in the village 3. All schools of the village have safe toilet areas which is 50 per 1000 live birth. According technology option separately for boys and to NFHS-4, still 43.6% children below the age of girls and in use 5 years are stunted.While the literacy rate in 4. All Anganwadi Centre/other public and rural MP is 63.94%, disparity between male and private institution/unit of the village have female literacy is quite wide. Only 48.49% safe toilet technology option in usable amongst females are literates. condition 1,2,3&6- Census of India 2011 Sample Registration System, Registrar General of India, 2016 IMR: Infant mortality rate (IMR) is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year of age. The rate for a given region is the number of children dying under one year of age, divided by the number of live births during the year, multiplied by 1,000. 4 1.2 Rural Sanitation in Madhya Pradesh
The state has made a long stride in improving the rural areas and the Swachh Bharat Mission – rural sanitation coverage under the national Urban (SBM-U) for urban areas.The Ministry of flagship programs. Despite of having simple Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) andthe and scalable models of community approaches Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) are the to sanitation; demand driven program like Total nodal ministries of Central Government for Sanitation Campaign (TSC) did not make much implementing the SBM-G and SBM-U, headway in making sanitation a buzzword in respectively. Swachh Bharat Mission thrives on rural areas of the state. The Total Sanitation community ownership and technology enabled Campaign was revamped in 2012 with the accountability. Started with an ambitious target launch of NBA. As a part of it, the Madhya of providing safe toilet technology option to over Pradesh launched Maryada Abhiyan focusing 111 million rural households of the country at the on dignity attached with sanitation. The cost of 136,000 crores within a span of 5 years, campaign aimed at supporting villages to the campaign has day by day taken a shape of a eliminate open defecation by recognizing the movement to change people's behavior than key role that women can play in catalyzing a c h i e v i n g t h e p h y s i c a l t a r g e t . improvements in sanitation and hygiene behavior. This women led total sanitation Safe Toilet Technology Option approach worked well to double the rural Safe Technology Option means no contamination sanitation coverage from 14.8% as on April of surface soil; ground water or surface water; 2012 to 27% as on 2nd October 2014 within a excreta inaccessible to flies and animals; and period of two years or more. freedom from odor and unsightly condition. - MDWS 2015 Swachh Bharat Mission was launched nationally on 2nd October 2014 by Shri Narendra Modi 1.3 Sanitation Revolution in Madhya Pradesh who declared that building toiletis more important than building temples and called the Swachh Bharat Mission has brought a sanitation Nation to end open defecation in India by 2nd revolution in Madhya Pradesh. The target was October 2019, to coincide with the 150th birth high, challenges were huge. Addressing the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The campaign unmet sanitation needs of whopping 6.8 million aims at creating open defecation free households within a span of 5 years was not communities by ensuring easy access and use of easy. More difficult was to change the mindset of toilet by all members at all occasions and so staggering 30 million peopleor more to e m p h a s i z e s o n c o l l e c t i v e behavior change. It has two sub-missions, the eliminate open defecation completely from Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (SBM-G) for above 50000 villages. A toilet revolution has swept away all the hurdles.
5 100 Equity & Inclusion Equity requires that programs recognize that people are different and require specific support and measures to overcome the specific barriers that prevent them from adopting safe sanitation and hygiene practices. Inclusion means that different categories of The state started the journey with merely 29% people are able to access and use safe rural sanitation coverage. It took just one year to sanitation facilities. These categories of people get intensity and scale. The community include those who cannot use standard designs, approaches to sanitation created a ripple to for example, children, older people, pregnant make ODF as a buzzword in nooks and corners of women, people with disabilities or those living the state. As it is scaled up, the state started with HIV or other chronic illnesses. doubling its construction, coverage and ODF crucial to ensure that different categories of during the last 3 years to cross the milestone of people are able to get access and use safe 86%. The current pace of construction, coverage technology option. These categories of people and ODF has encouraged the state to becoming include those who are socially, geographically ODF state by 2nd October 2018. and economically marginalized or excluded, and 1.4 Equity & Inclusion: Challenges those who cannot use standard designs like differently able or people at risk. Strategies to Addressing the issues related to equity and include the excluded are important for complete inclusion is important for attaining ODF and elimination of open defecation. In a major move, sustaining the status. SBM calls for equitable the state has institutionalized the Direct Benefit access of inclusive sanitation to all citizens. Transfer (DBT) by replacing the conventional Geographical diversity, regional disparity, system to make the government incentive difficult to reach areas, natural calamity and high accessible to different categories of people. prevalence of migration are some of the Operationalized in June 2016, the DBT has challenges the state has faced to include the helped to reach 3.6 million households till date excluded. While the GDP of the state varies from with transparency, accountability and 3751300 in Indore to 217957 in Umaria, the rate responsiveness. District specific strategies is next to of literacy in rural areas varies from 76.8% in mention to address the spur of exclusion. Gender Balaghat to 33.2% in Alirajpur. The major mainstreaming in CAS has evolved as an challenge has been to reach 2.38 million people approach to address the issues related to equity living in difficult to reach areas with forest and inclusion. The state has included risk informed covered. As the state is progressing towards planning and inclusive hygiene in the agenda of achieving the milestone of 100, these challenges ODF sustainability to cope with the exclusion by are becoming critical to address. The problem of condition. exclusion is more Economic Survey of Madhya Pradesh 2013-14, Census of India 2011 6 We have achieved open defecation free status. It was unbelievable “a year back. It's all become possible because of collective effort of all sections under the proactive leadership of our Collector. Now it is important to sustain the status and augment it day by day with other good practices. We will fulfill the dream of Bapuji and sri Narendra Modiji by keeping our home and village clean always and all through. Every mother will dispose excreta of their children in toilet, practice their children to use the toilet and how to wash hands with soap before taking meal and after defecation. Rupaloo Rajpur is our Mission, our Vision. Madho Singh Dabar ” Member of Legislative Assembly, Jobat
We found it impossible to achieve the goal of making the district Open Defecation Free at the initial stage. But under the able “leadership of Collector and community has contributed at large, so meticulously with juxtaposing all the line departments on same level, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, teachers, students, government officials, Chowkidaar to show the light of awareness to the community, who has made ODF at ground level with usage being the prime importance. The wave created will definitely be taken to other sectors and Alirajpur will be surely climbing the ladder of development.” Nagar Singh Chouhan, MLA - Alirajpur
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ADDRESSING EQUITY IN SANITATION- The Alirajpur Way 2.12 Introduction Alirajpur is one of 51 non-descript districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is named after its headquarters, Alirajpur, which was the capital of the former princely state of Ali Rajpur. The name of this town is derived by conjoining Ali (the fortress town and the former capital of the princely state founded by Anand Deo in 1437) and Rajpur (the latter capital) . According to 2011 census, it has a total population of around 0.73 million catered in 537 villages spanning 288 Gram Panchayats in 6 blocks. The district has a high concentration of indigenous tribal population. Out of total population, 89% i.e. 0.65 million are tribal. The literacy rate in rural areas is as low as 32.1%. According to the rapid survey conducted by National Institute of Nutrition, the per capita monthly income is INR 735 (2012)
28 2.2 Challenges In Alirajpur Even Swachh Bharat Mission did not make much headway in first two years of its launching. Started with merely 27% rural sanitation coverage the district ends open defecation and declared as ODF on 28 March 2018. While the progress in first couple of years was 4 and 6 percentage points respectively, it jumped to 50 percentage points during 2016-17.
Bringing a change in prevailing practices of defecating in forests, fields and terrains was not so unique than making them accustomed with the use of water for ablution. “Using dagra to rub the bottom after defecation was our generational practice,” says Bhim Patel. In local dialect, dagra means stone. Majority of the tribal people in the villages were habituated to
Imperial Gazetteer of India, Volume 5 9 use stone in cleaning the bottom after defecation. Occasional bathing and staying with animals in widely scattered hamlets are next to mention. Hand washing with soap is still a taboo. “Water is not so easily accessible to the people living in dispersed terrains,” adds Bhim. The major challengewas to develop a positive attitude towards cleanliness amongst Swachh Bharat Mission is change in offing.the people, most of whom are illiterate and not able to understand if it is in Hindi language. “Many of us not even saw a toilet earlier,” explains Bhim. Traditionally Patel is the religious leader of the local tribes and most influential in their community. Swachh Bharat mission is a change in offing. The other major challenge was to apply conventional tools of community approaches to sanitation (CAS) for collective behavior change. Most of the hamlets in Alirajpur are either on the rocky hills or in rough terrains. The tribal of Alirajpur traditionally prefers to dwell in isolation. Though assemble fast when it is required most, they do not grow as a commune. This has been a major challenge to mobilise them for a most neglected and unexplored cause like sanitation. Even formation of a surveillance team to foster morning and evening follow up has not been worked in most of the villages. A village here consists of habitations which are popularly known as faliyaand a faliya consists of widely scattered hamlets. Swachh Bharat Mission is a process of community empowerment.
But supply chain management was the most serious challenge that the district has faced to identify the widely scattered households and ensure timely supply of sanitary wares. “Even some of the households located at 25 kilometers distant from the metal road and on 200-300 meters height,” says Manish Bhanwar, the Chief Executive Officer of SondwaJanpad (Block) Panchayat. Swachh Bharat Mission calls for universal access to safe technology option.
The final challenge was to develop a dedicated cadre for continuous advocacy, monitoring and surveillance. Though the district has initially developed a gang of Preraks (Motivator) trained on CAS, this has not worked well. Since most of the hamlets are scattered, house to house visit for advocacy and interpersonal communication by a committed workforce was the urgent need. Swachh Bharat Mission emphasizes on revolutionary change in the mind set.
10 2.3 Framework of Community Approaches to Sanitation (CAS): A Brief Description Community Approaches to Sanitation (CAS) is the term applied by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (MDWS), Government of India to encompass the service delivery approach in eliminating open defecation completely. Based on the principles of UNICEF's Community Approaches to Total Sanitation (CATS), the CAS is a combination of triggering and igniting of communities through conventional tools of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS). The purpose is to empower the community in mentoring and monitoring of adoption and use of safe toilet technology option by all members at all times. Sanitation is a community issue and not an issue of individual household. Therefore CAS emphasizes on collective behavior change to enable a community in attaining and sustaining open defecation free status.
Fig 1: Community Approaches to Sanitation (CAS) Process
11 Collective Leadership Matters He leads the movement here from the front. Ganesh Shankar Mishra, IAS, the Collector of Alirajpur is no stranger to end open defecation fast and first. As the Chief Executive Officer of Harda district panchayat, he applied his leadership with passion to make the district free from Open Defecation under Swachh Bharat Mission. That's why he is known as “an architect of ODF” in Madhya Pradesh.
Alirajpur symbolized the nadir of open defecation, poverty, illiteracy, stunting and poor health standards when Mr. Mishra arrived here as Collector in November 2016. He has a clear vision; ODF is the single largest outcome that profoundly impacts the other development indicators. Now all government functionaries and people's representatives' have realized it and in tandem. “I thought we had all the experience and the know-how required for igniting the ODF spur, but by and by I realized that Alirajpur was a totally different challenge,” Mishra says. The tribal population of this region follows a generational practice not to be developed as a commune. They prefer to dwell in isolation and in widely scattered habitat at rough terrains and in difficult to reach locations. “Therefore it was a big challenge to create positive attitude towards safe sanitation as well as construction of toilet”, Mishra adds. He believes that ODF is a manifestation of collective behavior change which is not possible without systematic community interventions.
The district has become open defecation free, what next ?
“Keeping ourselves clean is a continuous process and not a one time achievement, but an outcome of regular and collective efforts of a community,” replies Mishra.
Alirajpur has started working for sustaining the status with same zeal and equal vigor.
12 To her nothing is more important than a loo. “To me it is not just a structure but a foundation of dignity of women,” says Anita Nagar Chouhan, the Zila Panchayat Adhyaksh (Chairperson) of Alirajpur Zilla (District) Panchayat. Legislature is one of the four pillars of democracy and the political priority at all levels is the unique of Swachh Bharat Mission. “We have no meaning to continue if we can't save the dignity of our mothers and sisters,” boldly says Anita. Sanitation has been the cornerstone of her all speeches, meetings, activities. “At least we can offer an aesthetic environment to our next generation,” whispers Anita. She has always believed on changing the mindset rather than constructing a toilet. “It is easier to construct a toilet but difficult to construct a mind for a toilet,” Anita continues. She has been active in mobilizing the Gram Panchayats and inspiring her cadres to shoulder the responsibility. “Sanitation is to me a way to reach each household of the district,” Anita replies. Being a woman she feels that sanitation is a gender issue as women are the victims of open defecation which is to her just a day light imprisonment. Motherhood is the outcome of womanhood and she strongly feels that sanitation contributes to a woman in both way, i.e. protecting the privacy and dignity of woman and protecting her children from stunting, malnutrition and underweight.
Mrs. P. Anugraha, IAS, the then Chief Executive Officer took it as her mission. Being the Executive Head of the District Panchayat she not only made all panchayat functionaries accountable, but also energized the Heads of Gram Panchayat to take a lead. “Elimination of open defecation is a simple and sustainable solution of many development indicators,” she vibrates. “Cleanliness is an instrument to transform our life,” continues Anugraha. She believes in women power and energized the wide network of women self-help groups to take a lead. “Sanitation and hygiene is a shortcut to enable a group to come out of poverty,” she reiterates. Therefore she believes that a SwachhSamuha (Clean Group) can only be an empowered group. K. Karthikeyan, IPS, the then Superintendent of Police and her husband also inspired to support her mission. “Remaining clean is a collective responsibility of a family and of all families,” Anugraha replies. The responsible stewardship that the Police Department has shown can be an example of good governance in Swachh Bharat Mission.
She is now the Chief Executive Officer of Dindori, another tribal dominant district in Madhya Pradesh. It is one of 17 lagging behind districts of the state in terms of the progress of Swachh Bharat Mission. “Challenges are many, but Alirajpur learning made me confident to address those in a strategic way,” Anugraha murmurs.
13 Despite having good run rate, last over is for many a times crucial to win a match. Swachh Bharat Mission is a team play and hence equitable contribution of each individual is more important than average contribution. Mr. M. L. Tyagi, the current Chief Executive Officer has taken the last stroke to take the team to win the match. He replaced P. Anugraha on 22 January 2018. Though the district was on the verge of attaining ODF, two blocks, i.e. Bhabraand Udaigarh were the slow movers. “My only contribution has been to make the both ends meet,” says Tyagi. He is having a very ingenious eye for detail. “It is very difficult to reach 100 from 98.5,” Tyagi continues. Therefore his only mission was to mobilise the Panchayats and functionaries to plug the gap. But to him the shouldering starts from 100. “Sustaining ODF is more challenging than attaining it,” replies Tyagi. He strongly feels that ODF is not a one time achievement, but a regular exploration of an organized community. Alirajpur has started its further initiative to sustain the ODF status just after its declaration. “Still challenges are many; regular O&M of school and AWC toilets, up-gradation of single pit toilets, promotion of safe pit emptying are few to mention,” Tyagi vibrates. He knows that habits die hard as it is the second nature of human being. He strongly feels that continuous sensitization is required even after the post ODF stage to ensure functional sustainability of sanitation system and minimize the risk of slip back.
“It is a motivation driven mission. People have to be taken in confidence, to make them understand the crux of sanitized and hygiene levels of living, for that faith and confidence on administration played a major at community level.” - Mr Ajmer Singh Goud, Tehsildar, Jobat, Alirajpur
ODF has been a difficult task to achieve in Alirajpur District . It was distance dream, but because of District Collector’s guidance, we were motivated through out and even in difficult times we were constantly dedicated to making the district ODF. Due to relentless support of the District core team, line department and Panchyat Sachiv we were able to bring the behavioural change in the mind sets of the people and finally, we were able to achieve our goal- - Mr Manoj Nigam CEO, Bhabra Block, Alirajpur
“ODF is mainly about behavioral change and continuous use of toilet by all at all times especially in rural areas. It is a community-driven activity and community involvement on daily basis is essential. It is a teamwork and involvement of various departments in continuous field monitoring yields fruitful results. Administration's main role is to clear bottlenecks and support community in becoming Open Defecation Free”. -Mrs.Deepa Kotsthane - CEO, Jobat Block , Alirajpur
14 Anganwadi Workers On the far-reaching borders of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, Unnahala one of the GPs patronized the role of Anganwadi workers as a sanitation champion. “Sanitation is a must” recited by SushilaChamelika one of the Anganwadi workers of the district breaking out the glass ceiling of traditional women daily chores and playing a major role in the ODF campaign by making her village and the adjoining village, where her husband is a Panchayat secretary the village ODF.
Women led initiative started from one of the meets held on the district level headed by collector where the Anganwadi workers were called for orientation. It was in April 2017, her village was amongst which doesn't show much momentum in ODF and sanitation facilities, therefore, affects women and girls most acutely, which led to a zeal in her to achieve the impossible. In the meet arranged for the cross-learning of the good performing and the bad performing villages, it acted as a trigger for her when she didn't hear a resonance of applauds for the sanitation activities for her village and experienced seclusion because of the bad performance of her village in ODF.
The spark that got ignited during this time led to pass on the word to the other villagers on returning back and forming a group of Anganwadi workers, sahayika, GRS, sarpanch, ASHA worker, Panchayat secretary and 3 Preraks. Three teams were formed and deployed to different faaliyas (Hamlets). Usage and construction were stressed upon through 2 months rigorous morning follow-ups, nigranisamiti, FGD, IPC. Every day walking for 4 km in the scorching heat from April to June in the hilly terrain of Sondwa block where a drop of water is pricey affair still keeping up the motivation levels to the brim to an extent that the relatives of the people who don't show keen interest in the building and usage of toilets took the responsibility as one of the statements quoted by the village either” he will defecate in the toilets of jail or in his own toilet but he won't defecate in open”.
The women headed sanitation campaign of the village was observed in an eclipse before but being unified in group of 21 villagers covering 7 faaliyas (Hamlet)created a wave in the villagers to see their village ODF by motivating them to carry the brick load on the heads and covering the sharp steepness of the hill's by the villagers to build a self-owned toilet for the homes make them traverse a journey from a bad performing to a good performing village and emerging as a model village for the rest of the GPs in a tenure of 3 months.
15 2.4 Equity Focused CAS: Unique In Alirajpur Swachh Bharat Mission in Alirajpur is equitable and inclusive. I am highly “impressed to see the progress across all quintiles, including the poorest. The accountability of functionaries and front line workers to internalize ODF as a social norm in tribal communities and ensuring services in difficult to reach areas is a rare example of responsive governance. ” Nicolas Osbert, Chief WASH-UNICEF India Shared Accountability Equitable Distribution Equitable sharing of responsibility amongst the “Ek bhi ghar chuta to sankalp hamara tuta, this government functionaries/front line workers is was our only mission,” says Gyan Singh Chouhan, one of the unique features of Swachh Bharat a Primary Teacher of Kathiwada block. It means, Mission in Alirajpur. “After the household survey, our mission fails if a house is missed. Equitable we distributed faliyas (habitations) to trigger the community,” explains Iqwal Sheikh, a distribution of sanitation facility without any Primary Teacher of Udaigarh block. Teachers organized supply chain is another unique feature here formed groups and distributed Gram of Alirajpur. “Peoples chain has been the most Panchayats to complete the entire process. effective tool to reach the dispersedly located Alirajpur is a rare example of accountability houses in difficult to reach terrains with the raw and responsiveness of governance in materials and masons,” explains Manoj Nigam addressing the unmet needs. the Chief Executive Officer of Bhabra block. Incentivizing Sarpanch by issuing gun license was a clever move that the district adopted. It We are in Khamba, a typical Alirajpur village in spurred a competition amongst the Sarpanches Sondwa block. Located at 500-600 meters high (head of GP) like Bhur Singh to make the Gram from the sea level, Khamba is surrounded by hills Panchayat ODF. “Besides motivation and advocacy, I also provided raw materials for and forests. construction of toilet in credit,” explains Bhur Singh, the Sarpanch of Thapli in Jobat block. It is inhabited by 73 households dispersedly Though faliya wise NigraniSamity has been located in an area of 725 hectares. The average activated, Bhur Singh is still doing morning and distance between two houses is 1 kilometer. Most evening follow up. of the houses are located either on the top of the Daya Bai, the Anganwadi Worker of Dabadi in hills or on its lap.“We carry the raw materials like Jobat block is another rare example. brick, sand, cement, pan etc, on our own shoulder Motivated by her husband and two young sons, from the pucca road,” says the Badwa. Badwas she took a loan of Rs. 65000 to provide raw are the male religious leaders of Bhil Tribes. materials to the families for construction of “Even our children carried it,” continues Badwa. toilet. “Our only mission was to make the village open defecation free,” whispers Daya. His house is located at the top of the hill at a height of around 300-350 meters.
16 Addressing Exclusion Addressing exclusions in sanitation is one of the most unique features of Alirajpur ODF Journey. Migration is rampant. The district is neighboring with the Dahod district of Gujrat. People often migrate to Gujrat for more work and higher pay. Agriculture and agri-labor are the main income of the rural people of Alirajpur. “Since most of the lands are mono-crop, people frequently migrate to Gujrat,” says one of the members of District Core Group. This was a hurdle to mobilise people for the construction of toilet and its use. “So we targeted to reach the community during the cropping season', he continues.
The district has taken a unique strategy to develop block level core group consisting of teachers, Anganwadi Workers, Gram RojgarSahayaks, Secretary of Gram Panchayats, ASHAs etc. and distribute faliyas (habitations) for implementing the structured Social & Behavioral Change Communication interventions.
Since most of the hamlets are scattered and dispersedly located, house to house visit was the only response. “Doctors and quakes have also supported a lot,” informs the District Core Group member. The prevalence of fever is rampant here. The district took a clever move to sensitise the doctors and quakes writing the use of toilet in addition to the prescribed medicine.
17 2.5 ODF- A Collective Responsibility
Instigated by the District Administration to achieve the ODF status, 538 Sarpanches (Head of Gram Panchayats) took up the arms by bringing together the massive force of the village including the Chowkidaar, Patel, Patwaari, Gram RozgarSahayak, natural leader, Self Help Groups. starting from the morning follow up, door to door visit, focus group discussionsthey tried every curse and blessings to make the village Open Defecation Free and now persistent in sustaining it.
Patel “Swachhta mein hi ishwar niwas karte hain” put together in English as “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” as quoted by the Patel (a man publically and socially accepted as the leader to maintain peace and harmony in the community).Guruvant Singh Chowhan, a passionate and revolutionary, who tooka resolution to offer his services inmaking the village ODF.Faith in Babaji (Saint) is common amongst the villagers and involve Babaji to trigger the community was a strategic move. Energised by a one day orientation at block level,Patels contributed a lot by making raw materials available credit and continuous nigrani (surveillance) even in chilled winter.
Sarpanch (Head of Gram Panchayat) When was the last time you felt empowered? Well Sarpanches of Alirajpur were highly elated in narrating their tell tales, ranging from Baghelji from (Biljhiri) of making their village first to attain the Open Defecation Free status in the Alirajpur block to Mrs. Bamaniya (BadaBhowta). Be it heavy rains, bone chilling winters or scorching heat everything failed to hinder their zeal for the cause. Mrs.Bamaniya added a crux to the sanitation programme by ensuring the timely availability of the material, timely payment to mistri plus technicality taken into consideration dividing themselves in a group of 5-6 people and 4 teams achieved the status, she has enkindled a desire to provide every possible assistance while Baghelji on the other hand deployed a team of 13 Panch (Ward Member), 2 Chowkidaars, 8 Anganwadi workers,7 teachers at village level got them brainstormed on how to make the village Open Defecation Free and strategically came up with a plan. Made the on the mark get set go by the district level orientation and technical help on how to construct a toilet.
18 Pressurized from all the ends these measures Gutti Bai- A Woman Of Free Masonry acted as an incendiary among the villagers and led to the augmentation for households with toilets.
Another noteworthy point is exerting pressure on even the CSR using the village land for setting up of industries to build toilets in prior for the laborers citing an Example of Narmada pipelines layover work in Biljhiri where the 20- 25 workers stay for 5 years and carry the good habit inculcated of using a toilet to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, U.P “Don't cry because it's getting over. Smile The spectrum of roles played by women in a because it happened. Celebrate because we society can't be defined better than Gutti Bai. were in it together. Rejoice because we made it Being a proud mother, supportive wife, possible”. This is actually what they did once responsible daughter, she also contributed in there village achieved the ODF status in March making her Gram Panchayat, Darkali as Open 2017, recognized at district level and setting Defecation Free and augmented her profile and up a perfect example for then, yet to achieve, skill.She is known for her determined, chirpy & with sharing their experience and cross buoyant demeanor. Her agile & coping-up learning and celebrating by conducting a attitude for always being loyal for greater fortune Motor rally of 36 GP on August 2017 flagged of the community made her count. Her vintage off by District Collector. Felicitated by the attire rectifies her gracious portrayal staggering crossing by villagers by Maala(Garlands), among all others. flowers for the yellow- orange pagridhari (turbans) from dawn to dusk by crossing all the Masonry, a term mostly related to the men vaults made their villages a euphoric place to fraternity especially in a backward tribal area live. has broken all the myths of the society with her zeal and enthusiasm. She completed construction Chowkidaar-Prahari to Prerak If Patel is the Raja,Sarpanch is Mantri then of more than 15 toilets in her village in just a span chowkidaar is santri that's how it is being of 1 month. expressed by one of the villagers. A small group The involvement of Gram RozgarSahayak and of thoughtful, committed people can change the NigraniSamiti has acted as a constant source of world; indeed, it's the only thing that has ever motivation and augmented her confidence. Her had called NigraniSamiti led by a man with a non-descript village became an issue of discussion stick , called Chowkidaar. Marching forward when the Collector invited her and felicitated the with a goal and a mission to achieve in mind to efforts of a women led initiative for making the stop open Defecation village open defecation free. 12 19 Involving Chowkidaars (Watchman) in district facilitated mechanism between line surveillance and advocacy was a clever move departments, dealing with Rural Sanitation, Rural that Alirajpur adopted. The district is the nadir of Drinking Water Supply, School Education, Health, dacoit and rubbery. State government has Women and Child Development, Water engaged a village person as Chowkidaar for the Resources, Agriculture, Publicity etc. The district safety and security of the villagers with a fixed remuneration. Chowkidaars play an important has given an apt portrayal by the formation of role in the village to resolve any dispute and safe District Core Committee. guard the wealth and property of villagers. In An order was issued to collector's head at Alirajpur, Chowkidaars are the potential the district level on 25th Jan 17. It highlighted the influencers, next to Patel amongst the tribal formation of A district core committee for making community. The district is having a strength of 537 the Alirajpur district open defecation free within Chowkidaars, one in each revenue village. the given stipulated time of 3 months. Initially, a "Still we are keeping constant watch on the practice of the people defecating in open," committee of 13 members was formed which says,KemtaDala, the Chowkidaar of Betwasa later got reduced to 7 people. It showcased the village. All 315 households of Betwasa have toilet power of Convergence of various department. as their own. The village was declared as open They were initially given a district level defecation free on 26th August 2017 by the orientation on Sanitation, the formation of Gram Sabha. NigraniSamiti and Mornings follow up. With huge Kemta can remember how he was fervor firstly they were supposed to focus on one refraining people easing in open. "First I tried to convince them about the ill effects of open block Sondwa after making it district's first ODF defecation, "explains Kemta, "but if they are not block, it was further extended to another block by convinced to leave the practice, then I used to dividing them rationally among other 4 blocks. threaten them for dire consequence." They were mainly given the responsibility of Chowkidaars in Alirajpur have played an Monitoring, Focused group discussion, Verification instrumental role in convincing the resistant and Interpersonal Communication. Keeping all groups. the personal issues at stake and crossing all the His contribution was highly acknowledged. During the ODF celebration, the Collector called him on hurdles with full potential they contributed from the dais and garlanded and hugged. "It was my the very first day to till date by making common lifetime achievement," whispers Kemta with people understand from the very minute topic of tearful eyes. The honor of Kemta spurred a abandoning the usage of stone, the age-old competition amongst the other Chowkidaars of practice to be the supporting block for the field the block. level functionaries and played a major role, which 2.6 Tapping Synergy led to the metamorphosis of efforts into As a step towards achieving coordination and implementation . convergence, Alirajpur district constituted
20 Women Up In Arms To Break The Molds
It was Rebeti Bamniya, a mother of 4, a native of Badi Bankhad who made the difference. Located at around 40 kilometers from the district headquarters of Alirajpur, Despite geographical and social exclusions, Alirajpur has moved fast to eliminate open defecation completely. Rocky terrain, disperse habitation and conventional trend of not growing as a commune posed a serious challenge to address the unmet hygiene needs. Rebeti Bamniya is one of the thousand examples of the district who collectively made it possible. But she is different from millions. Being the leader of Meera bai Swayam Sahayata Samuha (Women Self Help Group promoted under NRLM) Rebeti participated in a state level training on Community Approaches to Total Sanitation in early 2016. This was the eye opener. The deliberations made her passionate, particularly understanding the link between open defecation and stunting. Rebeti constructed her loo fast and started using it. This was the first practice of using a toilet in the village. After that, she motivated other 9 members of the group by sharing her experiences, provided loans from the group savings, procured materials jointly and contributed collective labor in digging pits and supporting the mason. But still the village was not freed from open defecation. They decided to eliminate it completely from the gram panchayat of 348 households. The district administration came forward to support them. The group was engaged as implementing agency for the construction of IHHL.
It took 3 and half months to motivate 1811 people of the gram panchayat, all belonging to ST category, to use their loo. BadiBankhad has set an example of becoming ODF through convergence and conglomeration. Because of her upstream advocacy, the Gram Sabha of BadiBankhad announced open defecation as an offence and imposed penalty. But it was not the end of the journey. Rebeti and her soldiers are now moving house to house to describe and demonstrate the merits and steps of washing hands with soap and use of grey water in kitchen gardening. She is confident that a day will come when no child will suffer from stunting in her village.
Her leadership motivated more than 300 tribal families to construct and use toilet. As a result, Sondwa got first ODF gram panchayat in 2016 and become the first ODF block of the district in 2017.
Many such groups like Meera baiSwayamSahayataSamuha all over Alirajpur District under her leadership have shown the potential of women self-help group to act as promoters, providers and protectors of ODF.
21 2.7 Community Managed Monitoring & Surveillanc:
Role Of Traditional Community Structure One of the biggest challenges in Alirajpur in achieving ODF status was, “the lack of awareness and the established age-old practices, the use of stone instead of water “ recalls RameshwarJi, a member of district core committee. It is of utmost importance to transfer the responsibility from the administration to the community, to own their toilet and to bring a behavioral change at large, not by force but by will, for the sustenance of ODF status. More of community-led interventions for sanitation and health practices to address the issue of behavior change will be a step towards a progressive state. Building on the lessons learned from the past, one of the time-tested strategies suggested is to promote community participation, mutual support and appropriate local solutions, thus leading to greater ownership and sustainability. Facilitators and natural leaders constituting the Nigrani committee (NC) had enabled this process at local level. “Toilet usage hasn't been a practice since my grandfather's times, a wave of change occurred with the establishment of NigraniSamiti and Morning follow-ups in my village, making me construct a toilet within 15 days” uttered Bhagadudewa one of the natural leader of ChotaHatwi Gram Panchayat.
22 Community Managed Monitoring & Surveillance:
Nigrani Samiti Imagine, all of us waking up at 5:00 am, sneaking out of the house with our vehicle, meeting each other with sleepy eyes but enthusiastic smiles and heading to open the horizons towards new goals, where age is no bar, with the cacophony of mics and whistles. And with their passion sustenance seems promising. This is the beauty of beginnings. This is the beauty of leaving behind dusk to welcome a dawn. That's what has been happening in Alirajpur district since last few months, “morning follow-ups” for achieving ODF. The Nigrani Samitis, a discovery that ushered in a period of change in Alirajpur has been largely ranging from merely a group of 15 people to 250 members on daily basis monitoring. Seeing such a huge force every day, a paradigm shift from easing in open to the usage of the toilet was bound to occur.“Every morning for five months my cluster of 90 students came marching for asking villagers not to defecate in open”, proudly remarks Sharda Dudwe, A warden of Girls Ashram in Gerughatti. A Nigrani Samiti is a group of men, women, and children of a village/ Panchayat who voluntarily unite themselves with a common goal of making their village ODF. “Each home in my village is visited at least 10- 15 times relentlessly performing IPC by the migrant samitis for making them understand the consequences of open defecation” A statement made by Hitesha, an active sachiv of Kharkuan Gram Panchayat
Renu Kaner: The Sanitation Musketeer A 7 year old is championing the cause of sanitation in her village, GeruGhati, trying to bring a change, making her way to becoming a role-model in the community. She leads a group of 90 girls of her residential school in the village, who have worked tirelessly for the past five months to spread awareness. A class two student, Renu's conviction and dedication made her obvious choice to lead the group and ensure the success in achieving open defecation free Status. Every morning armed with whistles and a stick, Renu and her teammates kept a watchful eye on fields and nallahs flowing outside the village, looking for signs of open defecation. The 7 old year made the villagers realise the gravity of the issue with her eloquent speeches about the importance of cleanliness. It has left the villagers appalled. Praising the girl's efforts, a 34 year old Jaimaitibai said “she played a crucial role in raising our awareness levels through letting us know the linkages of health and sanitation.”
23 Community- Managed Monitoring Monitoring has fostered participation, learning and flexibility through recognizing the role of local people in planning and managing environmental sanitation, offering them an opportunity to learn from their own change. Furthermore, it has promoted the use of existing structures, built capacity of administration, enhanced scaling up of Community participation, ODF attainment and sustainability.
Through this effective monitoring mechanism, Alirajpur together with the district administration has been able to ensure that over 538 Gram Panchayat have been declared ODF within a period of one and a half year. A tool intended for improved governance and greater transparency and accountability A tool to empower communities One of the innovative methods adopted by the district was by maintaining a register to ensure participation and regular monitoring. These registers can be found in almost every GP of Alirajpur maintained at Gram Panchayat level. It has definitely set an example for other districts and It is indeed miraculous to see the passion and zeal of villagers with which the registers are dated from the very first day to the very last day without any lowering in confidence level. Local level participatory monitoring has proved effective in tracking progress towards ODF attainment and sustaining ODF status through the use of existing structures like the local government and community resource persons. Furthermore, the linkage between monitoring at the local/ programme level and the government/national-led monitoring system has enhanced the keeping of real-time data on ODF status in the district. In turn, this has supported decision making and the feedback mechanism.
24 The Triggered: Innovative Approaches
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3 WAY FORWARD: SUSTAINING THE MOMENTUM 3.1 Sustainability Matters Challenges Creation of new household due to family split Attaining ODF was a huge challenge in a district Inadequate social norm and surveillance like Alirajpur. “But sustaining the momentum is more challenging,” says Ganesh Shankar Mishra, mechanism the Collector of Alirajpur. Frequent slip back Sustainability of ODF refers to: Water scarcity System breakdown 1. Uninterrupted functioning of the sanitation Damage of system due to hazards/disaster system and its augmentation Inadequate knowledge/practice of safe pit 2. Continuous safe sanitation practices by all at emptying all occasions with improved hygiene practices Single pit technology (Augmentation of sanitation system refers to up- Un safe disposal of child excreta gradation and retrofitting of toilet technology for uninterrupted and risk responsive service Poor menstrual hygiene practices delivery) Inadequate knowledge and practice of hand washing with soap
Gram Sabha meeting at Badkhedi village
26 Interactive We were at Sejawada village in Jobat block to see the process of a Gram Sabha. Sri Madho Singh Dawar the local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) was in Chair. Gram Sabha started with the demonstration of hand washing with soap. “Now we have taken two-pronged approach; interaction at all levels and continuous surveillance,” says Dawar. Sustainability is the core in policy, interpersonal and institution level in Alirajpur. His address started with the importance of ODF, hand washing with soap and safe disposal of child excreta. According to him, integration of hygiene is important to get sustainable impact of ODF. While concluding, he facilitated the session of pledge taking. All members took the pledge of keeping the village clean.
The district has taken a strategic move to encourage interactions at all levels on ODF, hand washing with soap and safe disposal of child excreta. “Even in Gram Panchayat and Janpad Panchayat (Block Panchayat) meetings we are flagging these issues”, says Manoj Nigan the Chief Executive Officer of Jobat block.
The major interaction is held during the distribution of Ration (Public Distribution System). The Kotwar (Village Guard), Sarpanch (Head of GP) and Patel (Community Leader) have been assigned and encouraged to facilitate the discussion when people gather to take the Ration.
12 27 InterInterpractivetativee Assessment of ODF sustenance and plugging the gap immediately is another major step that the district has taken. Assessment is being done at two levels; Gram Panchayat and Block. Swachh Bharat Mission in Alirajpur is a team approach. Therefore a team has been constituted at each and every Gram Panchayat level with equitable representation of Sarpanch, Patel, Secretary of the Gram Panchayat, Gram Rojgar Sahayak, Anganwadi Worker/ASHA, Village Guard and Teacher who is a permanent resident of the Gram Panchayat. The members will undertake 4 visits in a month in all villages of the Gram Panchayat and assess the status of ODF Sustainability and report to the Chief Executive Officer in a standard format. A team under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer of Janpad Panchayat is also being constituted in each block. This team visits at least two Gram Pancnayat in each week to assess the status of ODF sustenance.
Reformative Sustainability of ODF largely depends on the existence of a social norm regarding this. In India, social norms matters. This is quite strong in tribal communities. Therefore, the district has made it mandatory to make regular announcement in loud speaker from the Temple, Mosque, Church and other community centers on the use of toilet and not defecate in open. The Village Guard has been assigned to ensure it for which he is being incentivized. Administrative sanction has been given to the Nigrani Samities to impose penalty in any form if anyone found defecating in open. 12 28
4INCLUDING EXCLUDED India is a home to over 105 million tribal people belonging to 31 different tribes.
Tribals of Alirajpur has entered into the realm of mainstream attention not only by being unified and taking up the arms if anybody seems to demean the status of Open Defecation Free and have managed to hit many headlines.
But how much do we really know about them as people – their lives, their traditional wisdom, cultures, and struggles? The result is an insight into wildly differing cultures that are vibrant, hospitable and full of spirit despite numerous hardships. Here is a selection of few stories both on human interest as well as collective efforts to make an effort towards sanitized surroundings which brings us closer to people who are at the margins of our consciousness, finding little space and attention in mainstream media, far away, physically and mentally from cities and city people.
These stories have become a metaphor for the strength and fragility of the tribal community as they set about this challenge.
30 4.1 Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Umrali, A GP has a pride in its own to become the first ODF GP in the entire District but it has one more thing to be proud of “Eklavya”, The Government owned residential institution for tribal students have proved to be a major boon for the district. Eklavya made the impossible a possible.
“Habits die hard as it is the second nature of human being” says, the Collector of Alirajpur, who leads Swachh Bharat Mission from the front. “If spearheaded properly, children can bring a change faster,” he continues. In Mahabharata, Ekalavya was a young prince of a confederation of jungle tribes and mostly regarded for his determination.
In Umrali families gradually emerged as the stumbling block in making the block ODF. The Collector then adopted a unique approach to engaging children in breaking barrier. He spent a night with the children in Eklavya and ignited them. This cracked. The Mahabharata has characterized Eklavya as a committed disciple for his explicit Guru Dakshina (fees of a teacher). The children of Eklavya in Umrali have set up another example of implicit Guru Dakshina by changing the age-old habit of those 157 families. “We set up 12 teams to start rigorous morning follow up,” describes Sanjay Chouhan, a student of class X who led the Boy Squad. “Initially people did not value us”, he adds, “but finally their arrogance defeated to our continuous emotional pressure”. Morning follow up has emerged as the most effective and efficient tool in rural Madhya Pradesh to resist people easing in open and advocate for good practices. Even the Collectors and peoples representatives are engaged in regular morning and evening follow-ups. Innovations like Biker Gang (surveillance through motor bikes in a team), offering rose to loo users, deploying Police Van etc. are used even after attaining ODF status. “We started teasing or standing silently in front of them while found easing in open,” describes GarimaChouhan, a student of class IX who led the Girls' Squad. “Can anyone continue easing if you stand in front,” replies Garima. The smile shines in her eyes. Gradually the resistors turned to be the late adopter. Umrali was freed from the clutches of open defecation and declared as ODF Gram Panchayat on 15th August 2017.
“This was our Guru Dakshina to the Collector who taught us a lot about the way of life,” retorts Garima.
31 4.2 Migrant Brick Klin Workers Become A Part
Just outside of the city limits, by country roads in a flat green landscape, smoke rises off huge furnaces. Close by the air is acrid with coal soot, catching in the throat. Like a scene from a long- gone age, men and women walk in single file up and down steps as if climbing a pyramid, defines the site of brick kiln. "They work for 12 to 18 hours a day, pregnant women, children, adolescent girls," says Mr Shiva, with improper sanitation facilities. The heat hardens mud clay into the bricks that are making modern India but damaging the global priority.
With the gaining momentum of the sanitation campaign in the district in November 2016, Titi Gram Panchayat (GP) in Alirajpur District had made tremendous strides in ending the practice of open defecation. By, almost every household in the administrative area had toilets, all in use, and every government-aided school had sanitation facilities. Gram Panchayat, under the dynamic leadership of its president, Mrs. Santarbai Chouhan, had just about everything in place to become Open defecation free. The problem that appeared came from one of the few industries in an area where the population depends largely on Agriculture and livestock for a living. One of the principal reasons for the success of the rural sanitation programme in Alirajpur is the synergy between the UNICEF and District Administration's support, as evident from the Alirajpur's experience. There are about 50 brick kilns in the district administrative area with more than 600 migrant laborers from neighboring places, who live for nine months of the year, alone or with their families, in very basic rooms near the kiln. Till the Panchayat decided to intervene, these workers would defecate in the open, soiling the environment of the hamlets of Titi GP. “Eradicating open defecation was a distant dream if these people could not be included in the programme fold,” says Santar.
12 32 She decided to take up the matter with the brick kiln owners. “Every morning on my way to work, I would visit a brick kiln owner and explain to him how essential it was that he should look after the basic needs of his workers if they were to stay fit and work to their full capacity, and not fall prey to disease.”The Sarpanch, Sachiv, and GRS manage to convince the brick kiln owners of the need to sensitize their workers about the need for sanitation and to construct community latrines for them. “The kiln owners did not get any subsidy for this. We provided them technical assistance with the help of district administration” Santar adds.
Anil Prajapat has been running a brick kiln in Alirajpur for over a couple of years. He usually has over 50 migrant laborers working at his 5 kilns all year, except during the monsoon season. He says that after speaking with Mrs. Santar Bai several times, he was convinced of the need to build sanitation facilities for his workers and he constructed a row of about 3 to 5 latrines at a cost of about Rs. 25000.
The story of Titi village inspired the brick kiln owner all over the Alirajpur district. Today, all the brick kilns have toilets for their workers. “But it would not have been possible without including the migrant labor of the brick kilns in the sanitation programme.” It acted both as a boon and bane for the district where timely material availability for the construction of the toilets speed up the process.
The story of Alirajpur cutting the fatal “Gordian knot” of ending the open defecation status is no longer restricted to the village boundaries. It has become a quintessential not only to some of India's most backward regions where the sanitation movement is still to take off but also for the developed places.
12 33 4.3 A Beacon To Alirajpur ODF Journey
“You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body but you will never imprison my mind” –Mahatma Gandhi
We are at Foot Talab, Alirajpur's hard-to-reach areas both literally and metaphorically.
Foot Talab – an area where community members have long had a very negative attitude towards construction and use of toilets. As our car bounces gamely through forested land and stops just before a huge lake, we are not prepared for what follows. A strong and stout man dressed in Khaki with gun welcomes us. “Don't worry, he is the Choukidar here,” whispers Kritish Choubey, a member of District Core Committee of Swachh Bharat Mission.
FootTalab was the last village of Udaigarh block in Alirajpur district that eliminated open defecation completely and declared as ODF on 26th February 2018. Wondering, how?
It took one and half year. Dilip Singh Basuniya, the Chowkidar of Foot Talab and the crusader can recollect each and every day's struggle they did. His wife, Kanchan Bai is the Anganwadi Worker. Inspired by the speech of Collector, the couple started their mission in December 2016. Of the 218 households of Foot Talab, located dispersedly in 2 faliyas (habitations) i.e. BadaFootTalab and Chota Foot Talab, only 2 had toilet. Hurdles were many. “You won't find any male member in half of the families,” explains Dilip.
Therefore they took a clever move to motivate the women members of the household. “Even they threatened me . But my version was clear, you had to use toilet ”, continues Dilip. He is an occultist as well and hence has larger influence on the community. Not only motivation, he took the responsibility of providing raw materials to the families for the construction of toilet in credit. Finally it cracked. “No one now defecates in open here,” whispers Dilip.
Including the excluded in the program is the unique feature of Swachh Bharat Mission in Alirajpur.
34 The immediate impact of which is unique. “Now we can move around FootTalab easily which we could not even think a year back,” adds KritishChoubey.
Swachh Bharat Mission has also made DhaulaniFaliya accessible even to the VinodChouhan, the Sarpanch of Jamni. Dhaulani Faliya, is a habitation of Jamni Gram Panchayat in Jobat block of Alirajpur district. “Even it was difficult for me a year back to enter into the village,” explains Vinode, the Sarpanch. Jamni has to wait 6 months or more to become ODF because of DhaulaniFaliya. The Gram Panchayat started the journey with less than 5% household toilet coverage. Out of 261 households only 13 had the facility. It was all possible because of ChutiyaJetra who was freed from 37 years of imprisonment. Enrolling Chutiya as Swachhgrahi was a clever move that the district took. He is now leading the entire community to come out from all traditional bad practices. No one dares to ease in open. “You must see, our children will go to school, they will thrive and grow, women will walk with dignity and pride,” Chutiya becomes emotional. He has made an appeal to Collector for a school in DhaulaniFaliya and expressed his willingness to donate a piece of his land.
4.4 Illuminati Teens Make The Mission Possible Unlike people living in urban, rurban and even rural areas of the country, sensitizing isolated tribal communities about the importance and need of proper sanitary facilities can be more or less equated to an overhaul of norms and practices that have been handed down from generation to generation. To think of it, those who have been living isolated and unacquainted with the ways of modern living would naturally find any new mannerism preposterous for example, eating food with spoon or fork.
In that case, wouldn't it be very complicated to convince Adivasis to stop defecating in the open and build a toilet in their settlements? Meet the youthful flock who strongly believe that there is a spirit of ownership among villagers that can be tapped into by someone within their own community. To honour this belief, they walk for miles each day to inform and educate people about sanitation and water issues. These are the wonderful Water and Sanitation Promoters of rural Alirajpur.
“We now speak of the importance of cleanliness and use of toilets to anyone who is willing to listen. We would continue with this process always,” NamikaJamra, a class 8 student says of Barkua Village.The village was unclean with an overhanging pungent smell of open excreta and flies all around. Diarrhoea, fever and other related ailments were common amongst villagers, and a large proportion of the households' income was spent on the medical treatments. Women were exposed themselves at the loss of their self-respect and dignity. The time of menstruation was further worsened with the pain of travelling long distances and difficulty in maintaining proper hygiene.
35 The young inmates of Pre-matric Girls Excellence Hostel and KanyaShikshaParisar (Girls Education Complex) in Sondwa used all possible ways, from requests to counselling and even arguments with people to convince them about ill-effects of open defecation and importance of building toilets and using them.
“With their youthful enthusiasm and dedication, these girls were really effective for our morning follow-ups (where open defecators are identified, counselled and prevented) as well as verification of toilet use,” Ramanuj Sharma, the block resource coordinator of RajyaShiksha Kendra says. “Getting youngsters involved into the process is doubly beneficial as they not only effectively do the prevention and verification work, but also get mentally aligned to the concept of sanitation that would hold them in good stead throughout their lives,” Collector Ganesh Shankar Mishra says. These youngsters have to steadfastly prove that there is no job which is only a man's forte and if one is willing to go the extra mile, anything can be achieved.
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For more information, contact: State Swachh Bharat Mission (G) Panchayats& Rural ZillaPanchayat Office Development Department Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh LoPN Hkkjr SatpuraBhawan, Bhopal-462004 Pin Code: 457887 Madhya Pradesh, India e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.swachh.mp.gov.in