By: Parmanand Pandey, Advocate, Supreme Court (Secretary General IPC)
By campaigning and providing the toilet facility to every household across the country, particularly in remote rural areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won the admiration and laurels throughout the world. By all means, it was a Himalayan task, which he has got successfully achieved and got his name indelibly imprinted in history as a social reformer and remarkable achiever. No doubt, by solving this gigantic problem he has shown that honest perseverance can work wonders. India is a country of nearly 135 crore people. There are nearly 40 crore families. Out of it, nearly 25 crore families did not have the toilet facilities until recently. The number of such families has been very high in the rural areas because there has not been any concept of having a toilet in the house.
Here is a factual anecdote. The late Dr S Gopal, the son of Dr S. Radhakrishnan, who was the former President of India has written in his biography that on becoming the President, he invited some 31 Brahmins from Tamil Nadu to perform a Pooja in the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Those Brahmins were put up in the Ashoka Hotel, which was considered to be the best hotel in Delhi those days. The Brahmins were very happy to find clean and well done up rooms but when they saw, to their horror, that there was a toilet in every room, they immediately came out from their rooms in protest and sat in the lobby of the hotel. The officials and the manager of the hotel got panicked and they wanted to know whether they faced any problems in their rooms. If there were any problems they would be solved immediately but Brahmins told them that they did not have any problems as such with the rooms but they had problems with the attached toilets as it was unthinkable for them to have toilets in their rooms.
More of less, the same concept has been prevailing in the rural areas also. People have been going for open defecation and there was no shame or hesitation involved in it. Women have also been going in herds in open fields and they have been chatting, interacting among themselves to know the problems, difficulties, joys and sorrows of one another. This way they have been keeping themselves updated by sharing their own feelings and needs of others and, if necessary, extending their hands in solving the problems of others.
Be that as may, the other day a senior Advocates Shri Shreepal Singh made an enlightened observation in the Library 1 of the Supreme Court, which although we all know, yet never thought over it from that angle. He said that the toilet facility to every household is certainly a good initiative and achievement of the Prime Minister, but it should be used only in emergencies. He told that there are many advantages of going for the open defecation. The first and foremost is, that solid waste (stool) and human urine is good organic manure, very necessary for the health and fertility of the soil. These days organic manures like composts and animal dungs have become very costly. Therefore, we should not allow this rich natural manure to go down the drains.
The second is, that men and women, particularly women, get the opportunity to move out of their houses which is good for their health because, under the pretext of going to the fields, they walk to their fields and come to know about the state of the crops to be produced.
The third is, that it provides a good opportunity for men and women both but particularly to women to interact with other women and know whereabouts of others. This is not their virtual contact but face to face contact, which gives satisfaction and feelings of higher levels.
The last but the most important advantage is, a family of four or five persons will have to spend not less than 100 to 150 litres of water every day in the toilets in flushing and cleaning but if they go in the open fields they can easily save at least 100 litres of water. Water is one of the most valuable things in the present circumstances. The country is facing acute water scarcity and if the water is allowed to be wasted, the scarcity will further grow, and it will be very difficult to meet with requirements.
Apart from it, there are many more expenses which are involved in maintaining the toilets in the houses. Therefore, open defecation should not be discouraged in the rural areas and the people must be asked to use the water judicially and as minimum as possible. This will help save water, increase the fertility of the soil and above all will afford the opportunity of exchanging pleasantries and difficulties of the fellow villagers.
It is difficult to disagree with the senior Advocate Shreepal Singh in the light of the advantages he has very succinctly enumerated and explained. Although in this age and time it may be considered to be the sign of backwardness. However, even at the risk of sailing against the wind, his views are worth consideration and application without compromising, in any way, the dignity and honour of the people, especially the women