Team Herald
MARGAO: Salcete is not yet open defecation free as the government has provided only community toilets to the villages in the taluka and no toilet provided to individual houses. Besides, in many villages, the toilet provided are in the process of being installed and hence not being used.
Villages had given their requirements of toilets to be open defecation free and the villages had given a list of people who would need individual toilets in their houses and also a list of places where community toilets could be installed.
For example, Benaulim has not been provided with any toilet as the village had not asked for community toilets. However, the panchayat had asked for 56 toilets to be given to individuals and though this proposal was sanctioned, not a single toilet is provided to the village.
This itself establishes how farcical the declaration that Goa is open defecation free, as the 56 households that were identified for individual toilets still use open spaces to answer nature’s call and at least Benaulim is not open defecation free.
Navelim was provided five toilets which are in the process of being installed. Interestingly, one community toilet is being set up along the National Highway which appears to be for truck and heavy vehicle drivers as only Shree Laxmi Marble & Tiles Mart is adjacent to it and there are no houses nearby.
The coastal village of Orlim has been provided with both community toilets it has asked for of which one is being installed near the panchayat house and the other at the playground at Palkut.
Chandor Cavorim village has been given five toilets which are being installed at different places in the village, especially, at the parks and chapel where people gather. However, the plan to install one toilet in the market has faced opposition and it is presently not being installed.
The toilet in the market is proposed in front of residential houses and some years back the village gram sabha had resolved that the toilets should not be constructed in front of residential houses and had given alternate locations.
Similarly, there was objection to installing a community toilet near the old panchayat ghar in neighbouring Macasana village where two community toilets were provided. However, the toilet at the playground that is being developed is being set up.
