OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The village panchayat, the local government and NGOs have united under the able guidance of UNICEF to change the habits and routine of villagers in Jakhrana gram panchayat of Bahror block, Alwar region, in Rajasthan. Their efforts have made history this year by winning the most prestigious award for cleanliness and hygiene – the Nirmal Gram Award. The award was given by the President of India on May 4.

In June 2003, the government of India initiated an innovative scheme under the Nirmal Gram Puruskar to motivate Gram Panchayats to achieve (a) 100% sanitation coverage of individual households; (b) 100% sanitation coverage of schools; (c) freedom from open defecation; and (d) clean environment maintenance.

Jakhrana gram panchayat earned this award under the leadership of its fifth standard pass, Dalit woman sarpanch, Reshmi Devi. She has uplifted this village of around 2,000 households to the global level of cleanliness. Earlier this region was known for good desi millet, goats and wrestling.

Reshmi Devi said all the effort was not for the sake of an award but to make clear the importance of cleanliness to the villagers and also bring about a change in attitude. “Now my village has a new name and identity,” she said.

“We have worked hard through participatory approach to convince the villagers for 100% sanitary toilet coverage, no open defecation and practice of other laid down hygiene norms.” She added that the tendency of defecating in the open was the biggest hindrance and to change the mindset of the elderly and illiterate, in particular, was a challenge.

The panchayat provided financial assistance to 67 selected families living below poverty line (BPL) and anganwadis for constructing toilets under the Total Sanitation Campaign. Separate lavatories were built for boys and girls in schools.

Rakesh Sharma, a social activist involved with the literacy campaign in the village, said the success behind the cleanliness campaign was brought about by volunteers who went on home visits to all 11 wards and created practical knowledge among villagers. Slogans were written on walls to generate awareness.

Indraraj Singh, 83, former leader of Jakharan gram panchayat, spends most of his time under the shade of a large tree. He too is happy with the changing face of the village. He remembers an earlier occasion when the village community came forward to collect funds to construct the school building.

He proudly recalls that without any government help, the villagers then collected INR 9 lakhs and upgraded the primary school to the level of higher secondary. Similarly, through people’s participation, an amount of 25 lakhs was raised to construct 55 rooms in the school and hospital. Singh said, “The people of this village work together, remain united and support the existing government initiatives and structures.”

Sarpanch Reshmi Devi mentioned the special contributions made by her husband Suraj Bhan, the sub-divisional Magistrate Ashok Sharma, UNICEF representatives and workers associated with the literacy campaign and other NGOs as remarkable indeed.

She said that earlier the streets of the village were lined with garbage. Dirty water would flow out of the houses on to the roads and the dirt of the whole village would keep piling up. This resulted in blocked lanes and the strong stench from the filth would make it difficult for the people of village to live with it.

Steps were taken to ensure dust and litter free roads and proper drainage by the villagers. Twenty-one works were undertaken in the last two years to construct roads and drains. All drains and lanes of the village were cleaned thrice and 125 tractor trolleys of garbage were taken out. Cleaning of three water tanks, each with a capacity of one lakh litres, was done and efforts are on for sanctioning of INR 10 million for water distribution through pipelines.

For Rashmi Devi, the new challenge is a permanent solution for the disposal of seasonal water that collects near the girls’ school at Baba Baiya. For this the villagers have prepared a project worth INR 13.60 lakhs and they wish to complement this with funds from the state government. They also intend to put in the award money of Nirmal Gram Puruskar for this project. UNICEF has already assured their support. The Government of India gives an amount ranging from INR 50,000 to 20 lakhs under the Nirmal Gram Puruskar on the basis of the population of the village.

Satish Kumar, State Chief of UNICEF and Shikha Wadhwa, Communication Officer, said pure water, cleanliness and health are three fields connected with each other. These interconnected works need to be pushed with equal pace. Given so, the infant mortality rate can also drop in Rajasthan.

If Reshmi Devi gets a proposal fro UNICEF, she will be happy to become their brand ambassador for cleanliness. “I will try to set an ideal example by embodying all the key information about services in the field of sanitation before children, women and youngsters,” she said. For more information contact: Kalyan Singh Kothari 2/633 Jawahar Nagar Jaipur-302004 Rajasthan-India Phone 91-141-2654543(R) 9414047744(M)