We are in 21st century, the standard of living and lifestyle is totally changed and different. Everyone wants a toilet at their home. In Sattari Taluka around fifty per cent people do not have toilets. Most of the rural villagers cannot build toilets since they are not financially strong to construct one at home. That’s why villagers defecate in the open. Now it appears that Sattari Taluka has become the second part of movie ‘Toilet-Ek Prem katha’. Now the locals are demanding that the Government provide them free toilets.
Through ‘Sulabh Shauchalaya Individual scheme’ the Government has built 6656 toilets of five seaters in Sattari Taluka, till now. Of that, 3353 are in Valpoi constituency and 3303 in Poriem constituency. From 1985 to 2009, the government has constructed 6421 toilets and in between 2014 to 2015, 235 toilets in the taluka, through the Water Supply Department, Valpoi. But many of these toilets have already collapsed due to lack of maintenance.
Sources say there is a need to do a survey of the toilets which has not been done for the past five years — from 2009 to 2014. The Water Supply Department had submitted a file for toilets to the Government in 2016. However, sources say the file is pending somewhere.
The Central Government has modified the Sulabh Shauchalaya scheme. The government is now providing Rs 40,000 per toilet; earlier it was Rs 25,000. According the new scheme, the government will be paying 50% amount and the remaining should be borne by the people. The locals, however, are demanding that government provide them free toilets.
The Block Development Office, Sattari Taluka has recently sent a file for toilet to the Director of Panchayat.
