Six held for open defecation in Bhilwara

Jaipur: In a first, six people in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district were arrested for relieving themselves in open on Friday.

Taking a strong action against open defecation sub-divisional magistrate of Jahazpur, Kartar Singh caught these people while defecating in open. He arrested and sent them to police lock up.

Later, they were produced in the court where they were granted bail on indemnity of Rs 10,000 each and a condition of constructing toilets within 15 days.

Speaking to this newspaper, SDM Kartar Singh said that the administration has been creating public awareness about sanitation and hygiene under Swachchta Abhiyan but action is taken when they do not listen.

“We have been telling people not to defecate in open for quite some time. Now, we have started taking strict action against it,” he said.

According to the SDM, open defecation is a crime and these six people were arrested under relevant sections of the IPC for defecating in open.  “Sometimes we also have to arrest people under section 107 and 151, when they get agitated when stopped from defecating in open,” he said.

Though, he made it clear that these people were arrested for defecating in open.

The SDM also boasts about other harsh actions like asking ration dealers to stop supply to those families who have not constructed toilets in their homes and disconnecting power supply to such households.

However, Congress MLA from Jahazpur Dheeraj Gurjar condemned the extreme steps taken by the local administration while accusing the SDM of using such methods for sake of publicity.

“No one is against Swachchta Abhiyan. Everyone wants clean surroundings but no one defecates in open by choice,” he said.

However, SDM Kartar Singh said that people in rural areas do not want to build toilets for no valid reason.

But, the MLA alleged that the government has not paid people money for construction of toilets besides there is water shortage.

“How can people build toilets when they were not given the money and what is the use of toilets without water,” he asked while warning the government against using coercive actions against people who can’t afford to build toilets.