To defecate in the open is a shameful act and people should give top priority for constructing toilets while building their houses. The Haridwar District Magistrate Nidhi Pandey said this while laying foundation for toilet construction at the home of the Pherupur rape and murder victim on Wednesday. Pandey said that open defecation invites many diseases and is not safe either.
The district administration also gave monetary approval for construction of toilets in 37 houses of this village. Each family would get an amount of `9,100 for construction of the toilet. The money for the project is being provided from MP fund and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). These families can also build their toilet by enrolling themselves as labourers under the MNREGS for which the district magistrate distributed MNREGS job cards to the villagers.
Chief Development Officer VS Dhanik said that the Government of India provides money for construction of toilet under Nirmal Bharat scheme but this amount is provided after the toilet is constructed, while under the scheme implemented in the village an amount of `9,100 is being provided before hand so that paucity of money does not hinder those interested to build toilets.
Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Swaroop said that public should change the approach to life with changing times and ensure that every family has the facility of toilet. Sub divisional Magistrate G S Nangyal, Block Development Officer (BDO) Bahadarabad Anita Panwar and a large number of villagers were present on this occasion.