Gregory E. D’souza
Herald reported “Will Goa be liberated from open defecation on Dec 19? Interesting report how will the Goa Government achieve the target. The central Govt. will pump in money into the mission of making Goa free from open defecation since election are around the corner or the govternment may contemplate to give these toilets free of cost and recover the same through indirect taxing methods. Good initiative, good project but ill thought project too.
Having a toilet does not solve the open defecation issue for such toilets we need to have water too. Is the PWD (Phen) equipped to supply water for this sewerage system? Minimum 10ltrs to flush done the human waste for each use plus the urine. What happen when the taps run dry for many reasons offered by the PWD Engineers? I am informed by the PWD Engineer from Mapusa office, who looks after Siolim Section that as per the WHO standards as he claims to be supplied by PWD to all consumers who live in towns without Sewerage system receive minimum 70lcpd i.e a consumer of 4 person X 70 = 280ltrs. If you live in a city with sewerage system, you will receive 135 lpcd ie 4X 135 = 540ltrs. Those living in metropolitan and Mega cities with sewerage system will receive 150 Lcpd i.e 4X 150 = 600 ltrs. While the new smart cities that have been spoken about will have to wait for the Goa Government notifications.
With every village being concretised with building constructions of two floors and having amenities of toilets and swimming pools/garden, I wonder who will decide that my village is a town or city? Today at every gram sabha villagers have rightly opposed issuing of building licences to builders by the Panchayat bodies for this same reason. If you cannot provide water for the sewerage system (toilet) than it is better we go back to the old Portuguese piggery toilets where minimum water was required (one litre)while the other option that many preferred due to religious sentiments the open defecation along the river banks or on the hills or fields or in my neighbors compound.
Secondly having the toilet is not going to serve the purpose we need to treat this sewerage and not allow it to go into the soil which is going to be very harmful as we have seen in so developed cities all the natural well water has been contaminated forever. My advice to the Government promote piggery toilets or implement the decentralised/centralised sewerage system with atleast 12X 7 water supply or minimum 135lpcd to each consumer if you want to make Goa open defecation free. Just building toilets with no water as seen in many of our Government building offices and Govt. Hospitals or public toilets it would be better to use the old habits. They say old habits die hard but if you offer new amenities care should be taken to maintain them too.
