BLAME BUREAUCRATS FOR GIRLS NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL

In fact one of the top reasons for girls not attending schools in villages and small towns is the lack of toilet facilities. Oops, I stand corrected. Not that our city is any better. There are many toilets built, under so many government schemes, but none of the mahanubavulus (read bureaucrats) thought that water would be needed. Build the toilet, inaugurate it, done and dusted. In the next power point presentation they will have the number of toilets built in each hamlet. And also expect a pat on the back and Central funding for the same.

In fact there should be a follow up on how many toilets are in use. This follow up and holding the government accountable becomes the sole responsibility of the local stringer or journalist. Instead of passing urine on the roadside, he can visit the school bathrooms to see how much in use they are.

We are also not toilet trained. Because we think we can leave turd in the toilet bowl and walk away. Because we think we can keep the toilet floor dirty and walk away. Because we have not been taught the basic culture that soon it will be your turn of urgency and you have only a dirty toilet to use.

I can talk with great authority on the lack of toilets or the level of dirtiness and the absolute lack of water in the hinterlands of the then Andhra Pradesh. I have discovered, hence trained drivers to find special cover for ladies to do their job. While touring these places were exciting, the lack of toilets was frustrating and terrorising. I would take tablets to constipate me, so that I would not have the urge. I am not complaining. Now toilets in petrol bunks are a God send.

Surely the process of visiting a toilet for whatever reason need not be explained. The girl child, once she matures has to visit it for a a reason on certain days. In India, by and large, there is something about toilets and it's usage. One, there is a sense of shame. Wonder why? Because elimination is a natural process, by which toxins are removed and you maintain good gut health. Emptying the gut is the rage topic in almost all of social media, except Twitter. It cannot be written about in so many words.

The process of elimination being natural, everyone and everyone needs to go to the toilet and needs to wash after that. So, why is it that the class of society which rules us does not understand this basic necessity? What makes a guy, who makes policy decisions, not understand that running water is an absolute necessity if there is a toilet built? And ministers go and inaugurate the same with such pomp without finding out if the water supply will be regular?

There are Sintex tanks with pipelines. Surely they are connected. While Gandhiji taught us that cleaning our own toilet is not a menial job, the message obviously has not reached the masses. The toilets are dirty, shit pots and pardon the language.

There are certain NGOs who have dedicated themselves to raising awareness among the denizens about using and keeping a clean toilet. And all this is linked to good health of all and sundry. But the NGOs, dependent on funding can only stretch themselves that much.

And isn't running water the government's responsibility? Dont we all pay taxes for every bloody thing. Currently there is no tariff on the air we breath. But soon if you want pure air, you might get taxed. Do they not buy the votes of the public?

I think the public should get wiser and up their ante. Enough with the one time biriyani and a quarter of hooch. Women and older girls must protest and demand, as their right, for clean toilets with running water.

Why is it that politicians do not discuss about clean toilets with running water? Why is it that collector of every district does not go and check the cleanliness of every toilet in each school, or if one exists. Now that the districts have become smaller this can only be easier. The district magistrates also get stuck at land issues, probably because settlement of that issue would mean money in pocket.

Have you ever visited a government hospital in the district and their toilets. There is one for all. I quote a good doctor friend, who says she simply controla the urge. According to her the profession teaches her to be on the defensive side. And we always wondered why some docts were nasty?

My society gets two ladies from the GHMC, to clean the premises and the one single toilet in the entire complex, which has a huge floating population. Firstly they are loud, secondly they have all their family discussion in public and thirdly they are so slovenly it would put a sloth to shame. And they look well fed. After all it is a government job.

I would put this entire problem of lack of clean toilets and lack of running water, leading to Ill health, lack of attendance in school, colleges, etc entirely on the bureaucracy and hence the government.