Laxmibai explains the appalling work done by government-approved contractors in of Batiyagarh Ward 19, Madhya Pradesh. “The toilets are incomplete since 2015. One pit is made while the other yet remains incomplete,” tells an angry Laxmibai. Due to the incomplete work, Laxmibai has to dispose of the waste of her handicap husband herself. According to Arti Bai Valmiki, a member of Batiyagarh and a community correspondent with Video Volunteers. In spite of having a toilet, Laxmi bai and other members of the community have to relieve themselves in the open. "What is the use of this half-constructed structure when we still have to go out?" asks Laxmibai.
The community has approached the authorities on many occasions in the past year, but the authorities claim helplessness and blame the shoddy work on the contractor Pansari Biju, who left the work undone.
While the State claims to have made over 89 lakh toilets across rural India, cases like that of Laxmibai proves that corruption has failed the sanitation initiative in this village, and many villages across India.
"The problem of poor sanitation is not new here. This hamlet has existed for more than 80 years and since then there are infrastructural gaps," says Arti Bai Valmiki, a member of Batiyagarh and a community correspondent with Video Volunteers.
The Swacch Bharat cess of 0.5% that we pay on all taxable services is going to corrupt officials and contractors like the one in Madhya Pradesh. We need the accountability of the taxes we pay. Call Santosh Satya, Village Head of Batiyagarh, MP on +91-9981154323 and demand that the toilets are constructed and an inquiry is launched into the matter.
Community correspondent Arti Valmiki reports from Madhya Pradesh for Video Volunteers.
This video was made by a Video Volunteers Community Correspondent. Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories. These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ they give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change. we could hyperlink to some VV pages, like our take action page.
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