Srikakulam: HHLs under Swachh Bharat remain unused

Srikakulam: Individual Household Lavatories (IHHLs) constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) have remain unused in most of the villages and urban areas across the district. The Central government sanctioned Rs 15,000 to each IHHL. Community toilets and lavatories have been also constructed wherever individual houses lacked place for IHHLs.

Both IHHLs and community lavatories remained unused. At Raapaka, Lolugu villages under Ponduru mandal, Tunivada, Kandisa, Thokalavalasa, Venkammapeta, Thatipadu villages under Regidi mandal community lavatories also remained unused. Situation is similar in all other 36 mandals across the district.

Under the SBM, total 3,01,410 IHHLs sanctioned to Srikakulam district. Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department is the nodal agency for implementation of it at the district level. As per statistics provided by the RWS Department out of the total sanctioned IHHLs, a total of 2, 74, 378 completed and 25,828 are in progress and work on 1,204 more units were not started.

These community lavatories were constructed at faraway places and at place where the running water is not available. Even approach roads to these places were not laid. These factors led to the people not taking advantage of the facilities.

The IHHLs at individual households also remained unused. Low quality material was used for construction of IHHLs and it led to damage to doors and walls of lavatory.

"We have motivated people and mandal level staff to reach targets under SBM and utilisation is responsibility of locals," said RWS Executive Engineer for SBM K V Satyannarayana explained.