Sir,
India accounts for 60 percent people in the world who do not have toilet facility at home. As a result, this percentage of population defecate in the open.
Even United Nations have also endorsed this fact and is a matter of shame for us. In our country a large number of people, particularly in rural and pen urban areas of large cities defeate in the open. This increases the risk of spread of infections diarrhoeal disease such as cholera. Proper sanitary facilities such as laterines should be build and used wherever possible. The building of laterines is not however enough to stop open air defection completely. People must wish to use the laterines. Open air defecation is a special problem when large number of travellers markets, festivals and other events attract a large crowd. Children may prefer to defecate in the open. It is very important that local hygiene education programmes discuss the dangers of defecating in the open field and how they can be reduced. People could always be encouraged to build the laterines and use them. In our country, people practise annal cleansing with water. It is very likely that we defecate in or near to water sources.
It is almost contain that this will cause contamination when excretas are washed into the water by rain. People should be encouraged to take the water they need for annal cleansing with them in a container or not defecte close to open water using local hygiene. Campaigns should show how to dig a shallow hole to defecate into and then be encouraged to cover their excreta with earth. This will reduce the likelihood of animals and flies comming into contact with excreta. We are passing 67th year of Independence but still people are deprived from this basic need. It is need of the hour that Central and State Govts address this human problem as early as possible.
Yours etc…
S N Raina
Jammu
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