Karnataka   

Survey finds 20 dry latrines in Harpanahalli town

DAVANGERE: Wherever dry latrines are in use, manual scavenging is generally presumed to be around as the means of disposal of human waste.

A recent survey commissioned by the Directorate of Municipal Administration in Davangere district found 20 dry latrines in Harpanahalli town and at least two families that were involved in manual scavenging.

However, the district administration and Harpanahalli Town Panchayat are in denial mode and insist that there is no manual scavenging going on in the district.

But they conceded that there were dry latrines, which Assistant Commissioner Latha Kumari attempted to demolish a few days ago. However, she didn’t get very far with it, since the people of the town didn’t want them demolished.

The reason was that the women in the town felt that these dry latrines were “public toilets” and they would have nowhere to go for relieving themselves if they were demolished. Give us modern, decent toilets if you are demolishing the dry latrines, was their demand. The district administration conceded that good toilets were in order, and gave an assurance that new toilets would soon be built.

The administration gave an assurance that it would soon provide full-fledged modern toilets. It added that it would demolish the existing dry latrines later.

Davangere Deputy Commissioner M.B. Dyaberi said that dry latrines were a relic of the past. The latrines are not connected to drains nor are they provided with water connections. This means the latrines are only used but not maintained, and have become unsightly, stinking landmarks that assault the sensibilities.

When the district administration and the Joint Director, Department of Municipal Administration, inspected the dry latrines in the wake of the survey report, they also interviewed the two families which were said to be involved in manual scavenging. However, they came away with the conclusion that the members of the two families were in fact well-placed.

However, one positive outcome is that the district administration has taken a decision to construct five toilets immediately in Harpanahalli at a cost of Rs.40 lakh sanctioned under the State Finance Commission.

The task of building toilets has been assigned to the Davangere Nirmithi Kendra. Each toilet will be built at a cost of Rs. 8 lakh.

The district administration will send a proposal to the Government to build another 15 toilets in Harpanahalli town in place of the dry latrines.

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