The coastal district of East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh is constructing over 3000 community sanitary complexes (CSC) to cater to people attending or working in institutions and to those in public places. The move will prevent people from answering nature’s call in the outdoors.
So far, as many as 1228 CSCs have been built in Anganwadi Centers: 515 in schools, 197 in welfare hostels, 266 in health centers; and 61 in public places such as bus stands, courts, market yards, temples, etc.
In the pipeline are plans to build another 851 such CSCs near Grama Sachivalayas, market areas, health centers, bus stands and pilgrim areas, according to an official communique from the district administration.
The CSCs built in Anganwadi Centers cater to adolescent girls, parents of children, pregnant women, lactating mothers and staff of the health department visiting the Anganwadi Centers; and those in schools to parents and others waiting outside. On the other hand, the CSCs built in welfare hostels provide access to sanitation to parents and other outsiders. Meanwhile, attendants of patients and other visitors use the sanitation facilities of health centers; while bus passengers, drivers of autos and taxis, clients, devotees and general public use the CSCs built in public places.
Two models are being used for construction of CSCs. While small models with just two toilets (one for men and one for women) are used for in anganwadi centres at a cost of Rs.30,000 each; those built in public places and health centres are larger – with separate urinals, toilets and washbasins for men and women. The cost of the latter is estimated to be about Rs. 2 lakhs each. If the cost works out to more than the estimated amount, the balance is met by the concerned Gram Panchayats.
According to state officials, 60% of the cost of CSCs is from the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G) funds; 30% from the State Government and 10% from the GP funds.
As far as maintenance is concerned, a user committee formed at each GP is responsible for the maintenance. Rs. 1 per head is collected as user charge and this money is used for maintenance.
The district has conducted many IEC activities from time to time and these have motivated people to use toilets. Given that the toilets provide access to sanitation in public places, people need not resort to open defecation. It enables them to maintain proper hygiene in public spaces and to sustain the district’s ODF status.
The initiative is a part of the district’s ODF (open defecation free) Sustainability plan, in keeping with the guidelines issued by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
A sanitary toilet complex is an infrastructure for the use of the community and/or floating population. A sanitary toilet complex takes care of safe disposal of human waste in addition to the objective of providing a toilet facility that enhances privacy and dignity.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) 