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toILEt CovERAgE
tIME foR ACtIon April 2017: 53%
David got permission to convert a part of June 2018: 84%
the PHED office into his team’s work hub.
This meant arranging everything from new
furniture to computers and a wi-fi connection.
The team now had its task cut out.
Despite being just a couple of hours away
by road from the state capital of Guwahati,
toilet coverage across Darrang’s 75 gram
panchayats (GPs) stood at 53%. The Direct
Benefit Transfer (DBT) model of releasing the
incentive money hadn’t worked in Darrang
as the beneficiaries weren’t willing to spend
out of their pocket and wait for months to be For an MBA, David has found being a prerak so
reimbursed. Instead, over 300 intermediaries satisfying, that he is now set to take charge of the
such as NGOs and Self Help Groups (SHGs) adjoining Barpeta district
have been constructing toilets on their behalf,
and claiming the incentive. CRACKIng tHE fInAL MILE
David also observed that out of the These efforts have resulted in 1,09,462 toilets
55,000-odd toilets that had been constructed being built till date, with 223 out of Darrang’s
so far, around 16,000 (29%) had been geo- 552 villages becoming open defecation free
tagged, and this was done by the respective (ODF). In fact, David and his team have
NGOs and SHGs themselves. This defeated the managed to add as many toilets (54,572) in
purpose of geo-tagging and verification. around 15 months, as were cumulatively added
David hired a few unemployed young in the preceding three years of the SBM-G.
graduates as the first batch of Swachhagrahis to With the help of 172 active Swachhagrahis,
complete the verification process. Apart from over 78% of these new toilets have also been
regular awareness activities such as street plays geo-tagged.
and school handwash campaigns, the Darrang Meanwhile, he has been trying to arrange
SBM-G team came up with an innovative smaller cash advances for beneficiaries so
campaign using local folk artists to accelerate that they take greater ownership of toilet
the pace of the programme. Moving around construction and its usage on a sustained
villages in teams and using four traditional arts basis. The first such case of DBT for SBM-G
— Ojapali, Deodhani Nritya, Dhepa Dhol and in Assam is being rolled out in Turai village of
Nangelee – the folks artists convey the message Sipajhar block.
of safe sanitation practices and hygiene through While he is set to take charge of the
drama and songs. Because of the emotional adjoining Barpeta district soon, David has
connect that Darrang’s indigenous people have much bigger plans of his own. An organic
with these art forms, this communication route farming project is on the cards to revive
is proving effective, and in more ways than one. interest in agriculture and provide new
“These are dying art forms, which we are trying employment opportunities for Assam’s urban-
to revive. It also provides a livelihood to these led job seekers. “I want to pull back youth
people,” David adds. from the cities,” he says.
TATA WATER MISSION - A Tata Trusts Initiative 7