EDITorIAL Dr. BINDESHWAr PATHAK
for india’s progress, ngos should collaborate with government
T
he Societies Registration Act, 1860 was enacted we have decided to work with—not against the for improving the legal condition of Societies Government—and with this constructive positivity we established for the purpose of literature, have been able to achieve several successes in the social science, or the fine arts, or for the diffusion of and sanitation sectors. Sulabh Shauchalaya Sansthan, useful knowledge, the diffusion of political education now known as Sulabh International Social Service or for charitable purposes. Subsequently, many State Organisation, was founded in 1970 with the objective Governments amended the Act and added new clauses. to restore human rights and dignity to the untouchable To take an example, the Societies Registration (Delhi scavengers and to provide household toilets in rural and urban areas as well as public toilets at public places. Amendment) Act, 1983 reads as follow: In the Preamble, for the words ‘promotion of literature, Later, we added to this many other objectives to solve the science, or the fine arts’, substitute ‘promotion of social problems of society. Seriously pursuing these objectives, welfare, activities conducive to the protection and we have over the years been able to do outstanding work improvement of the natural environment (including in the sectors of our core engagement—sanitation and water purification, hygiene and health, forests, lakes, rivers and wild life), education and skill development, compassion for living creatures, abolition of untouchability and widows’ literature science, sports, games or welfare, etc. the fine arts.’ In the beginning, we worked closely Since 1860, a large number of with the Government of Bihar on Non Governmental Organisations several sanitation and social projects (NGOs) have been registered in for the State and then we spread out India under this Act to do various nationally, and today, we are working public-spirited work, especially in 25 States and four Union Territories. social welfare and charitable work Subsequently, we have also worked to uplift the disadvantaged sections in several other Asian and African of society, with the help of the public countries, including the strife-torn and the Government. Unfortunately, Afghanistan. Everywhere we work, a negative trend has emerged in we fully cooperate and collaborate recent years in many parts of the with the respective State or Central world whereby the NGOs sharply Governments and the relevant national question various Government and international agencies. policies and programmes and thus During 47 years of our work, we have lock horns with the Establishment. During 47 years of our constructed 1.3 million household This NGOs-Government rift is on work, we have constructed toilets and 8,500 community toilet the rise across the world, and we complexes which are used by about often read or hear in the mass media 1.3 million household toilets and 8,500 community 15 million people everyday. We also about such dissonance or dissension. toilet complexes which are pioneered in 1974 the Sulabh model In India too, this tendency has of pay-and-use community toilets in gathered steam, which adversely used by about 15 million urban centres, which became very affects various Governmental people everyday. We also popular, first in the state of Bihar and work-in-progress. Not surprisingly, pioneered in 1974 the then all over India. the Government in its turn adopts Sulabh model of pay-anda hard attitude towards NGOs, Our vision, however, was not toilets, use community toilets undermining the good work being but human liberation. With our in urban centres, which done by many NGOs. efforts lakhs of scavengers—despised became very popular, first earlier as untouchables—have been An NGO with a difference, our in the state of Bihar and liberated and rehabilitated in the social Sulabh International stands out in mainstream, and 240 towns made this regard. Since the beginning, then all over India
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 03
EDITorIAL
we would like to humbly advice the erring and straying NGOs to work honestly and in a transparent manner, and cooperate fully with the Government to overcome the socioeconomic challenges and help India develop in the 21st century scavenging-free. For this, we developed the Sulabh toilet technology to replace pit latrines, removing the need for manual cleaning. Alongside, we started schools and vocational centres to educate the scavenging women and children, thus enabling them to get alternative and better jobs. We initiated several cultural measures to integrate them in society. We also made notable contributions in the areas of biogas and bio-fertilizer, liquid and solid waste management, poverty alleviation, etc. All these works have been done in collaboration with the Central and State Governments, Corporate sector and international agencies. With this collaborative approach, we have changed the sanitation scenario in India and made our country a better place to live in. Before 1968 hardly any house in rural areas had a sanitary toilet; most schools in urban areas were without a toilet; most of the houses in rural and semi-urban areas had bucket toilets which had to be manually cleaned by the ‘untouchables’; and, no public toilets existed at public places including religious and tourist sites. Things have recognisably changed now, thanks to our relentless efforts and work on the ground. Alongside, we have transformed the lives of millions of untouchables by breaking the barriers of centuriesold tradition and now they live on a par with Brahmins and upper castes.
More recently, we have broken the oppressive boundaries that kept our widows in a state of misery and servitude. With our intervention, the widows of Vrindavan and Varanasi now live with basic comforts of life as well as a measure of dignity. Earlier, they were segregated from the larger society and not allowed to participate in any festival; now, they celebrate Diwali and play Holi. We also helped the interested women to visit temples and read religious literature that they were debarred from traditionally. We provided purified water in the arsenic-affected areas in West Bengal for just 50 paise per litre, and we are providing drinking water at Re1 per litre in Delhi. We notched up these things and much more with the help of the people and the Government. The point of narrating all this is that NGOs can change the face of the country if they want; they can improve the living conditions of the people; they can break the barriers of the regressive traditions that hinder the society’s wellrounded development, and so on and so forth. Instead, a large number of NGOs, according to news reports, mismanage or embezzle the funds they get from national or international agencies, and many of them do not even bother to file their Income Tax Returns. In this context, we would like to humbly advice the erring and straying NGOs to work honestly and in a transparent manner, and cooperate fully with the Government to overcome the socio-economic challenges and help India develop in the 21st century. 03
04 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
From the Press
Financial Express September 17, 2015
PTI
ON NARENDRA MODI BIRTHDAY, minister unveils ‘giant’ 365 kg ladoo, calls it
‘Swachhta Diwas’
To celebrate PM Narendra Modi’s birthday today, Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma unveiled a 365 kg ‘ladoo’ in New Delhi and said there can’t be a better way of celebrating it than declaring the occasion as ‘Swachhta Diwas’ (Cleanliness Day) – PM turned 65 today
“
A clean India would not only attract more tourists but also make it free of several diseases. There can’t be a better way of celebrating Modiji’s birthday than declaring it as ‘Swacchta Diwas,” Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said at a function organised here by Sulabh International to celebrate Modi’s birthday. Last year, Modi had launched Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), and exhorted people of the country to wield the broom to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean and hygienic India. Non-governmental organisation Sulabh has declared Modi’s birthday as ‘Swachhta Diwas’. Earlier, Sharma unveiled a 365 kg Ladoo on
this occasion. He said that the entire world today was looking at India and hoping for its guidance under Modi. Stressing the need for sanitation and cleanliness, the Minister said that he was at pains when tourists capture images of garbage dumps than of India’s rich heritage and culture. “I am at pains when international tourists coming to India takes with him photographs of garbage dumps while going back to his country than its rich culture, knowledge and science,” he said. A qawwali on the theme Clean India was also presented by city-based musical group Nizam Bandhu on the occasion. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 05
SULABH INDIA dmfd Issn: 2230-7567
september 2015
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BIndesHWaR PatHak MANAGING EDITOR kumaR dIlIP EDITOR s.P.n. sInHa JOINT EDITOR Janak sInGH EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD s.P. sInGH sIdHesHWaR dHaRI sInHa aRJun PRasad sInGH R.s. sRIVastaVa asHOk kumaR JYOtI C.P. namBIaR PRamOd makkad ART DIRECTOR deBaBRata CHatteRJee DESIGN & LAYOUT anIl kHanna sHasHI dHaR PRINTED & PUBLISHED BY Ram CHandRa JHa On BeHalF OF sulaBH InteRnatIOnal sOCIal seRVICe ORGanIsatIOn PUBLISHED AT
RZ-83, mahavir enclave Palam-dabri Road, new delhi-110045 Ph. : +91-11-25031518, 25031519 Fax: +91-11-25034014 email : info@sulabhinternational.org contact@sulabhinternational.org sulabhinfo@gmail.com sulabhindiainfo@gmail.com Website : www.sulabhinternational.org www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org PRINTED AT Xtreme Office aids (Pvt.) ltd. WZ-219a, street no. 7, lajwanti Garden, new delhi-110 046 entire contents (C) Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. all rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be sent to editor, sulabh India. Opinions expressed in the contents are the contributors’ and not necessarily endorsed by the publisher who assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited material, nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged in transit. all enquiries/ correspondence regarding editorial, advertisement, subscription or circulation should be addressed to the editor, sulabh India, and sent on the address given here in above.
R.n.I. ReGn. nO. 49322/89 Issn: 2230–7567
06 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
C o N
Editorial For India’s Progress, NGOS Should Collaborate with Government
03
From the Press
05
Cover Story Sulabh Celebrates PM’s Birthday Gaiety and renewal of Clean India Pledge mark the occassion
09
Financial Express
Focus 12 PM’s two-Nation Trip boosts India’s Profile and Opens New Vistas for a Digital India Book Launch Poignant Portrait of Social Injustice A book on the Widows of Vrindavan
16
T E N T S Workshop Waste Management Sulabh Technology and Initiatives contribute to Social Reform
18
Yoga Camp Caring for the Uncared Yoga camp for the Widows of Vrindavan
20
Award Sulabh Eminent Litterateur Award to Pandit Suresh Neerav
22
Innovation
31
Memoir
32
Poop to the Rescue of Ailing Stomachs Touched by an Angel
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 34 A small step & big change Toilet-for-all is a good idea whose time has come ProďŹ le
Akshaya Patra Nourishing young India Story
38
Distinguished Guests
44
Sulabh News from States
Madhya Pradesh
50 50 51 52
New Delhi / Rajasthan
53
Photo of the Month
54
Pandora and the Great Box Award Dinkar Memorial Award for Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
24
Remembrance Dr. R K Sinha Memorial Lecture on Language of Mysticism
26
Open Forum Delhi Schools Discuss Right to Water and Sanitation for Children
36
Jammu and Kashmir Jharkhand / Maharashtra
28
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 07
Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement
Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyaya with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak
SULABH INDIA
September 2015
Dr. Mahesh Sharma receiving a memento from Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
Cover Story
sulabh Celebrates PM’s Birthday
Gaiety and renewal of Clean India Pledge mark the occassion The 65th birth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was celebrated with gaiety and enthusiasm by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation on 17 September at KK Birla Auditorium, FICCI Campus in New Delhi. The event was marked by the renewal of the Sulabh pledge for cleanliness, which is also the objective of the Prime Minister
S
ulabh celebrated the Prime Minister’s birthday on 17 September at FICCI Auditorium by a lively, musical evening recapitulating its contribution to a Swachh Bharat and renewing its pledge to clean India. The occasion was graced by the distinguished presence of Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation and Satish Upadhyaya, President, Delhi Unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The function started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the eminent guests. The
hall, bedecked with flowers, garlands and photographs of the Prime Minister, resounded with greetings of ‘Happy Birthday to Modiji’ and ‘Tum Jiyo Hazaron Saal’. The highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of a giant ‘Laddoo’, weighing 365 kilograms, by Dr. Mahesh Sharma. The laddoo was shared by all those present at the occasion including the family of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement i.e. his wife – Mrs. Amola Pathak, their daughter-in-law – Mrs. Nitya Pathak, daughter – Mrs. Madhubala and their children. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 09
Cover Story
Address by
Dr. Mahesh Sharma Minister for State for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation
Also present at the function were the New Princesses of Alwar and Tonk (formerly manual scavengers) and the widows from Vrindavan. While the former were liberated from the stigma of untouchability and rehabilitated in society, the latter had largely been socially ostracized on account of their widowhood and have been supported by Sulabh International. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that there could be no better way of celebrating the Prime Minister’s birthday than joining the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiated by him. The campaign is crucial towards promoting the 10 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
“There cannot be a better way to celebrate the birthday of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji than what has been devised by the Founder of Sulabh International, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. I thank and congratulate the Sulabh International family and Dr. Pathak for highlighting the dream of our Prime Minister to take our country forward on the path of development through cleanliness. Today, the entire world is looking avidly towards our nation. India will show the way to the world as Vishwa Guru. A tourist coming to India ought to take with himself the wisdom of India, its knowledge, and the magnanimity of its people. I feel really aggrieved as the Culture and Tourism Minister to see a foreign tourist taking with himself a photograph of the dirt and filth lying in a corner of a town. In the mission of cleanliness, which is the dream of our Prime Minister, the Sulabh family has come forward as a partner. It is indeed fortunate for anyone to be a participant in national and humanitarian work. Sulabh International is
In the mission of cleanliness which is the dream of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Sulabh family has come forward as a partner
lucky in that respect. I am happy to be here with you. I happened to be a witness to the work done at Assi Ghat by Sulabh International. Dr. Pathak has been carrying on this movement for years, but now after the advent of Hon’ble Shri Modi ji, Dr. Pathak’s speed has gone up four times. I am sure cleanliness is not merely being tidy; it also attracts tourists from all over. I have been a doctor by profession. I am sure, if we can make the lives of crores of our countrymen healthy by keeping clean, it will be a great gift for humanity at large. Thanking you all again and wishing you the best, I pray to God to grant our prime minister a long and meaningful life and willpower so that he can serve the country as well as humanity at large. Thanks once again to the Sulabh International family and Dr. Pathak”.
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with noted Qawwal Nizami Brothers
health and welfare of our countrymen and humanity at large. Mr. Satish Upadhyaya appreciated the efforts made by Sulabh in celebrating the birthday of the Prime Minister and also in implementing the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in a befitting manner. A medley of colloquial songs that immortalize the work done by Sulabh was exuberantly sung during the function. Of special note is the Qawwali composed by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, which he joined the singers in singing. The lyrics of the Qawwali appreciate the prime minister’s initiative, encourage people to clean the country and spread universal brotherhood through the following: Modi ka sapna bana diya apna, pure desh ko saaf rakhna…Pyaar ka ek nayaa kanoon banayaa jaai Is tarah duniyaa se nafarat ko mitaayaa jaai Satish Upadhyaya with Dr. Pathak
Satish Upadhyaya with Dr. Pathak, Amola Pathak, Usha Chaumar & Manu Ghosh
Need to evacuate is a primary call of nature. It cannot be delayed or suppressed and is a prerequisite for a healthy body and mind The restoration of the mythologically important Assi Ghat in Varanasi to its lost glory was set to music by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak in the lyrics ‘Chalo chalo bhaiyaa re Kashi nagariyaa’. The students of Sulabh Public School sang this song and also staged a short play, ‘Pehle Shauchalaya, Phir Devalaya’ that conveyed the message of building toilets as more important than building temples as the need to evacuate was a primary call of nature and could not be delayed or suppressed. The song ‘Ye hain Sulabh Shauchalaya wale’ brought into focus the historic work done by Sulabh. Dr. Pathak was an active participant in the entire cultural programme. The new princesses from Tonk and Alwar and the widows from Vrindavan mingled confidently with the others and participated in the celebrations – singing, dancing, holding up balloons and placards, and shouting slogans of cleanliness and sanitation. Sulabh’s call ‘Sulabh
Shauchalaya apanaanaa hai, Bharat ko swachh banaanaa hai’ reverberated from the walls of the auditorium. Also shown at the function was a video clipping of the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States where he addressed an enthusiastic gathering at Madison Square in New York and emphasised the need for cleanliness. This was followed by the students narrating the various activities related to sanitation and cleanliness performed over the past one year, which were recorded in a booklet prepared by Sulabh Vocational Training Centre. A ‘Fashion Show’ was presented by the members of the Sulabh School Sanitation Club depicting the various technologies and designs of Sulabh toilets that have been responsible for liberating manual scavengers from their undignified work and, thus, the stigma of untouchability. A vote of thanks was proposed by Arun Pathak, a senior functionary of Sulabh. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 11
Focus
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met several world leaders and investors during his two-nation trip of Ireland and US during 23-29 September. He interacted with global leaders of the digital world to enlist opportunities for technological expansion and modernisation in India. Writes Janak Singh
12 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
PM’s two-Nation Trip BOOSTS India’s Profile and Opens New Vistas for a
Digital India
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 13
Focus Focus
P
rime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ireland in almost 60 years. The day’s visit to Ireland, en-route to the US, was primarily to seek the country’s support for India’s membership of UN Security Council. He held talks with his Irish counterpart, Taoiseach Enda Kenny on sensitivity in Ireland’s visa policy to the requirements of India’s IT firms and a broad range of international challenges including terrorism, radicalisation and the situation in Europe and Asia. In his interaction with the Indian community in Dublin, he expressed happiness about being welcomed by children reciting mantras. From Ireland, he left for New York. In the US leg of his journey, the Prime Minister addressed a UN Sustainable Development Summit and participated in a Summit on peacekeeping hosted by US President Barack Obama. The US President met Prime Minister Modi warmly at the UN meet calling him a good friend. President Obama later said, “Our meeting builds on the progress that was made during the wonderful visit that I was able to make to India, and the historic participation that I had on Republic Day. We’ve elevated our ties. We’ve committed ourselves to a new partnership between our two countries. And there’s been excellent follow-through on a whole range of issues”. The upcoming climate conference in Paris was the focus of much discussion. President Obama appreciated Mr. Modi’s commitment to clean energy and said, “I indicated to the Prime Minister that I really
think that India’s leadership in this upcoming conference will set the tone not just for today but for decades to come.” The Prime Minister also hosted a summit for G4 leaders – German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Together, the leaders emphasised that each of the G4 countries are legitimate candidates for permanent membership in an expanded and reformed Security Council. Speaking at the UN in New York, the Prime Minister made a strong pitch for expansion of the Security Council. He said, “70 years ago, the UN offered a new hope for humanity. Today, the time had come for us to seek a new direction. The UN Security Council needs to be made more broad-based to have higher credibility.” The Prime Minister then flew to the West Coast, beginning his twoday trip of Silicon Valley with a visit to “green” car maker Tesla Motors Inc where he met Chief Executive Elon Musk and the two discussed battery technology, energy storage and renewable energy. Throughout his whirlwind tour of the US West Coast, the first by an Indian Prime Minister since 1982, he met with all the Silicon Valley IT CEOs who have come to matter globally including Google’s Sunder Pichai, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Apple’s Tim Cook. He represented himself as the leader of a resurgent India in a digital age. On 27 September, the final day of his stay in the US, Mr. Modi addressed a stadium packed to capacity with Indian diaspora in San Jose. He
Mr. Modi’s visit generated business worth more than 1.6 billion Canadian dollars (Rs. 7,944 crore), according to official figures released by the government. 14 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
was greeted with much fanfare and received at the event by several elected officials of the region, including House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Mr. Modi interacted with a number of tech leaders who were primarily of Indian origin, captivating all with his knowledge of global trends and exciting vision for a digital India. He enunciated how the digital revolution, originating in the Silicon Valley area, had changed global lifestyles and achieved far reaching effects like improvement of rural India in particular. To quote, “a small farmer is more confident about his land holding and getting better market price. A fisherman on the sea has a better catch. And, a young professional in San Francisco can Skype daily to comfort her sick grandmother in India.” With such homespun analogies and powerful oratory, he was able to communicate with the audience and win their hearts. When the euphoria reached
its peak, he reaffirmed his faith in the 21st century belonging to India. When he asked why, the crowd roared back, “MO-DI, MO-DI”. He laughed and said, “No. No. Not because of Modi. The change has
come because of you–the billionplus people who now believe that India should not lag behind anymore. That the time has come for India to lead the world”. He was able to emotionally connect with the audience in the world’s biggest hitech area by endorsing them as ‘brain gain’ or India’s brain deposit in the US and not the traditionally held ‘brain drain’ where skilled expatriates left the country in search of greener pastures. It was his view that the world had changed its impression of India because of the talent of the people of Indian origin and their skills with computers, along with their commitment and innovations.Prime Minister Modi also participated in the highly anticipated
Townhall meeting with Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg. It was in this meeting that while recalling his childhood and the sacrifices made by his mother while raising the family that he became overcome with emotion and was moved to tears. He said, “My mother used to mop houses and clean utensils of neighbours in order to earn enough for the family to live on.” Much of the Prime Minister’s visit focused on connecting with the Indian diaspora community in Silicon Valley. He also attended a dinner with 350 business leaders where Indian-born CEOs Satya Nadella of Microsoft Corp, Google Inc’s Sundar Pichai and Shantanu Narayen of Adobe Systems Inc. moderated a panel. The impact so far of the Prime Minister’s visit to the technology centre includes Google’s plans to enable Wi-Fi in 500 railway stations, Microsoft’s aim to extend its operations in five lakh villages, and a chip manufacturer launching a $500 million dollar start-up fund in India. India is, thus, becoming an attractive investment destination. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 15
book launch
Poignant Portrait of social injustice
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Shivnath Jha and the widows of Vrindavan at the release of the Coffee table book
A book on Widows The coffee table book, “Abandoned Mothers: Widows of Banaras and Vrindavan”, which highlights the social apathy and neglect towards widows was launched at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on 22 September
A
bandoned Mothers is a beautifully illustrated book produced by Shivnath Jha, a well-
known journalist from Bihar, now staying in Delhi. The book was released on 22 September. The title page of 16 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
the coffee table book set the mood for the function, for it clearly states, “Widowhood is not inauspicious. They are not witches, not even bad and unholy women. Save them from cruelty of the society, their own kith and kin and allow them to live with dignity and honour till their last breath.”
Widows in India have long faced humiliation, insults and neglect from their families as well as society, which has often treated them as inauspicious. In the absence of economic protection, they are frequently left to fend for themselves upon widowhood. Thousands of women, particularly elderly, have sought shelter in the holy towns of Banaras and Vrindavan, begging alms for food and we often in bad health. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the chief guest at the book launch, released the book. He praised Shivnath Jha for the pains he undertook in producing the book. In an emotional speech laced with anecdotes from his life in Vaishali, where he was born into an upper caste Brahmin family, Dr.
The scavengers were still treated with reservations and contempt by the upper caste people Pathak stated that widows (like the scavengers) had been a neglected section of society. He had waged a lifelong battle to liberate scavengers not only from scavenging but also social apathy to which they had succumbed for long. Dr. Pathak said liberation of scavengers was not so difficult once the Sulabh toilet he had designed started gaining approval of the sanitation engineers and even recognition by world bodies. The problem arose when he realised that inspite of changing their job, scavengers were treated with reservations and contempt by the upper caste people. In effect, it was the social stigma associated that prevented their acceptance by society. He was gradually able to win over approval of temple priests for their entry into sacred places for worshipping gods and goddesses in the Hindu pantheon, which paved the path for a wider social acceptance. His greatest achievement, he felt, was the acceptance of the erstwhile scavengers as equals by the people whose latrines they used to clean in the past. The newly liberated women have also travelled to New York and Paris and represented themselves in the United Nations, which has considerably empowered them. Dr. Pathak said he started taking interest in the welfare of the widows when his attention to their plight and neglect was drawn by the Supreme Court. Asked if Sulabh could do something for their relief, he shouldered full responsibility for their maintenance and also for their proper cremation after death amidst chanting of Vedic hymns as is the case of widows belonging to any well-to-do families. He said he
Widowhood is not inauspicious. They are not witches, not even bad and unholy women. Save them from cruelty of the society, their own kith and kin had even made arrangements for education of widows who had a flair for learning at an advanced age. Dr. Pathak said the release of the book would certainly help spread greater awareness about their problems and plight. Speaking on the occasion, Shivnath Jha said he had long felt that the widows were victims of social injustice. The plight of his own mother as a widow motivated him to produce the book. He praised Dr. Pathak for playing an admirable role in helping the depressed sections of society. 'Sulabh has become a symbol of hope everywhere now', he added. The widows in Vrindavan and
Varanasi under Sulabh’s charge now like to associate themselves with Sulabh’s activities. During the concluding phase of the function, a group of them reasserted their rights by coming forward and joining Sulabh Founder, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, in showering flower petals on one another while singing and dancing in praise of Lord Krishna. Since widows are traditionally forbidden from playing with colours, this showering of colourful petals was symbolic of breaking the shackles of tradition to reassert their fundamental rights. The women also demanded a bill to be tabled that gave protection to those widows who have been shunned by their families. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 17
WORKSHOP
Mr. Ashok Jain, Secretary, Department of Urban Development, Mrs. Gurjot Kaur, Director General of Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and Prof. Ripunjay Singh on the dais
waste Management
Sulabh Technology and Initiatives contribute to Social Reform 18 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
“The Sulabh technology and ideology if adopted, can handle proper management of waste”, said Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of the Sulabh. He was addressing the oneday workshop on waste management at the Bhagwat Singh Mehta Auditorium, held under the auspices of the Centre for Good Governance, HCM, Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration, Jaipur
D
r. Pathak was the chief guest at a one-day workshop on Waste Management at the Centre for Good Governance, HCM, Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration, Jaipur on 22 September. He spoke at length about the activities of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation and showed documentary slides on the various technologies, models and initiatives taken by Sulabh in the fields of sanitation and social reform. Toilets designed by Sulabh have been successful in liberating the erstwhile scavengers from their demeaning work of manually cleaning toilets and carrying the night-soil as head-load. Furthermore, Dr. Pathak said that the former scavengers have also been imparted skills training to enable them to adopt alternative professions and earn their livelihood and thereby be integrated in the mainstream of society thus, realising Gandhiji’s vision of restoring their dignity.
Gurjot Kaur, Director General of the Institute, who presided over the function, said public participation is vital to make ‘the Clean India Campaign’ a success. Each one of us has to play an important role in this. Cleanliness needs to be practised in all aspects and activities of life
Addressing the workshop, Ashok Jain, Secretary, Department of Urban Development, said that waste management is a major issue, especially in the urban context. The changing life style of people at large, the pollution caused by lack of proper disposal of waste as well as large-scale emissions from vehicles day by day are causing serious health problems for the urban population. Lack of awareness of health hazards due to throwing away solid waste at random is yet another major issue. He related his experience of watching the disposal of solid waste by the Japanese, who segregate waste depending on its
type, size and place from where it is collected and disposed. Mrs. Gurjot Kaur, Director General of the Institute, who presided over the function, said public participation was vital to make ‘the Clean India Campaign’ a success. According to her, each one of us had a role to play in this; cleanliness needed to be practised in all aspects and activities of life. The participants in the workshop included AK Agnihotri, a sanitation expert from Delhi, AK Singh, Advocate, Himani Tiwari, Chilka Sharma from Vidyapeeth and Kritika Verma, a research scholar working on food waste. Mementoes were presented to the guests at the function. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 19
yoga camp
caRing
fOR tHe UncaReD
YoGA cAMP FoR The WiDoWS oF VRiNDAVAN Reflection on Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak as recounted through Timothy J. Roemer’s (former US Ambassador to India) inspirational story, and personal experience of arranging a three-day yoga camp for the windows of Vrindavan. Writes Debabrata Das The widows from Mahila Ashray Sadans gathered for the Yoga Camp organised by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation in Mahila Ashray Sadan, Chaitanya Vihar, Vrindavan, UP.
20 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
I
am very much pleased to come out with some unforgettable memories of my experiences with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and am sharing these briefly with you. It is worth noting that anything I can explain will fall short of what he has done for the welfare of society, particularly the down-trodden. In his Commencement Address at the University of Notre Dame Graduate School on 21 May 2011, Timothy J. Roemer, Former Ambassador of the US to India motivated the students by telling them an inspiring story…the story of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. According to him, “India is a country blessed with many distinguished people including Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation and Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. However, there are also many inspiring people, lesser known to the world, like Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. Although from a very high caste himself, he realised that there was nothing wrong with touching the untouchables, so he dedicated his life to restoring the human rights and dignity to scavengers who formed the lowest rung in the caste hierarchy. To do so, he used technology to develop a safe and environment-friendly toilet to replace pit latrines, reducing the need for scavenging and improving sanitation and hygiene for both the rural and urban poor. He provided education to the children of the scavengers, helping to break the neverending family cycle of scavenging.” According to me, this is only a small example of how he is dedicated to the wellbeing of the most helpless and neglected people of our society. I came to know of his various noble activities for the welfare of the needy sections of society. He is doing an outstanding job in helping the widows who are living in Mahila Ashray Sadans at Vrindavan in Mathura District of UP, which are run by the government
From left: BK Anita, BK Madhu, Sitaram Meena, Debabrata Das, BK Suresh and BK Kusum on the dais
of Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Pathak provides financial and other necessary assistance every month to these widows to ease their extremely difficult life. Knowing of his noble activities, I proposed to him to organise Rajyoga Meditation for the widows as it is very much beneficial for maintaining peace of mind and living a stress-free life. Immediately, he accepted my proposal as he was always ready to do anything for the benefit of the most needy and helpless people. Accordingly, he arranged everything needed to hold the Yoga Camp and I contacted the experts from Brahma Kumaris to demonstrate the technique of Rajyoga Meditation for the widows at Vrindavan. The Yoga Camp at Mahila Ashray Sadan, Chaitanya Vihar, Phase-II at Vrindavan, was inaugurated on 24 September 2015 by an extraordinary demonstration of various Yoga techniques by Dr. Pathak. He also arranged for another expert to join on the stage to demonstrate a few more techniques of physical exercise for maintaining good health. The Brahma Kumaris explained the benefits of and need for learning Rajyoga Meditation. Brahma Kumari Madhu demonstrated Rajyoga Meditation techniques. The session concluded with a delicious lunch for all present. More than 600 widows of Mahila Ashray Sadan, Vrindavan attended this three-day
Rajyoga camp. Mrs. Vinita Verma’s contribution in supervision of the various activities needed to arrange this event is praiseworthy. It is worth noting that Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (HQ at Mount Abu, Rajasthan) is an NGO affiliated to the United Nations and has consultative status with ECOSOC and UNICEF. It offers courses in Rajyoga Meditation “Free of Cost” at the head quarters in Mount Abu. These are also available with more than 9000 Brahma Kumaris centres spread across India and 138 countries globally. The Yoga camp was also attended by Brahma Kumar Sitaram Meena, IAS, former Labour Commissioner who is presently working as Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Agra, Govt. of UP; Brahma Kumar Debabrata Das, IES, Joint Secretary, NITI Aayog, Govt. of India, New Delhi; OP Yadav, DPO, Mathura, Govt. of UP; Brahma Kumari Madhu from ORC, Gurgaon; BK Anita and BK Suresh Gupta from Delhi and BK Kusum, In-charge, Mathura Rajyoga Centre. It was very much appreciated by all who were present there. The demonstration of Rajyoga Meditation continued till 27 September 2015 in two separate sessions, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon in two Mahila Ashray Sadans. (The writer is a Joint Secretary, NITI Aayog) SULABH INDIA
September 2015 21
Award
sulabh eminent litterateur award
to Suresh Neerav
The popular poet and litterateur Pandit Suresh Neerav was conferred Sulabh Eminent Litterateur Award on 13 September 2015 at the Constitution Club, New Delhi by Hon’ble Dr. Mridula Sinha, Governor, Goa. Neerav was given a golden memento and citation along with a cheque of Rs. 5 lakh SULABH INDIA
September 2015
P
andit Neerav has authored 16 books and received a number of prizes. Sulabh Sahitya Academy honoured him with Sulabh Eminent Litterateur Award in view of his distinguished contribution in the literary field on 13 September at Constitution Club A documentary directed by Mr. Pradip Jain and produced by Mr. Ankit Jain was also shown on the life and works of Pandit Suresh Neerav. The function started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp and Sulabh Prayer followed by honouring the distinguished guests on the occasion with bouquets, garlands and angavastram by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement and Mrs. Amola Pathak. Dr. Ganesh Gunjan, Vice Chairman, Sulabh Sahitya Academy welcomed the guests. He spoke on the creative achievements of Pandit Neerav as well as the activities of Sulabh in fostering the works of literature and art. This was followed by the release of a commemorative book, ‘Pragyan Purusha Pandit Suresh Neerav’ edited by Acharya Nishantketu by Hon’ble Mr. Trilokinath Chaturvedi, former Governor, Karnataka and Kerala along with Hon’ble Dr. (Mrs.) Mridula Sinha, Governor, Goa. The book is a compilation of articles by 55 litterateurs and journalists. The citation in honour of Pandit Neerav was read out by Ms. Kadambari and subsequently handed over to him by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. This was followed by Sulabh Shereshtha Sahityakar Puraskar. Speaking on the occasion Mr. PN Singh, Director Bihar Doordarshan, Patna said, Pandit Neerav is an eminent litterateur as well as an outstanding journalist. Prof. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, ViceChancellor, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha described Pandit Neerav as a powerful speaker and a great poet. Hon’ble Mr. Trilokinath Chaturvedi appreciated Pandit Neerav’s lyrics and gazals with a spiritual tone and said that he was a remarkable speaker. Addressing the audience on the occasion, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak said, “Old traditions are gradually disappearing in our society. Unless the scholars and artists are recognised and respected, our society will miss the right direction to move forward”. Pandit Neerav’s writings do contain
Neerav’s writings do contain concern for the environment, cleanliness and the society at large
Hon’ble Dr. Mridula Sinha, Governor, Goa, Pandit Suresh Neerav and Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the citation presented to Pandit Neerav
concern for the environment, cleanliness and the society at large. In view of these facts, Sulabh Sahitya Academy decided to bestow Sulabh Shreshtha Sahityakar Puraskar upon Pandit Neerav. Mr. Manoj Muntashir a lyricist and script writer congratulated Pandit Neerav and said that he had been learning the art of creative writing from him. Hon’ble Dr. (Mrs.) Mridula Sinha, Governor, Goa said on the occasion that she knew Pandit Neerav and had been reading his literature for the last thirty five years. She said, “As the elder sister I wish him as well as his creative writing long life”. Furthermore, she added that Dr. Pathak has been giving working shape to the feelings and ideas expressed through literature, and the meaningfulness of literature is materialising through his movement. A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Ashok Kumar Jyoti, Secretary Sulabh Sahitya Academy. The programme was compered by Ms. Rima Gautam and attended by the rehabilitated scavenger ladies from Alwar and Tonk, Rajasthan and Ghaziabad, eminent poets, writers and journalists from Delhi and NCR. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 23
Award
Dinkar Memorial Award for Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
''In most of the compositions of Poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, his revolt against prevalent feudal mentality and colonialism were reflected�, said Dr. Jagannath Mishra, former Chief Minister of Bihar, at a function held in Patna on 23 September.
Dinkar Memorial Award, marking the poet’s 107th birth anniversary, was organised on 23 September in Patna. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak was awarded Rashtrakavi Dinkar Bihar-Gaurav-Sarvocch Shikhar Samman 24 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
T
Dr. Dharma Charya, Haridwar Pandey, Dr. Shivansh Pandey and Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the liberated scavenger women of Alwar and Tonk (Rajasthan) and the widows of Vrindavan
he 107th birth anniversary of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, patriot, academic and perhaps the most important modern Hindi poet was marked by the awards in his memory. Jointly organised by Bihar Pradesh Sevak Samaj and Patna Antarashtriya Rashtra Kavi Dinkar Academy, it was one among several commemorative functions held recently to honour the poet and appreciate his great works that included ‘Sanskriti Ke Chaar Adhyaya’ and ‘Parashuram Ki Prateeksha’. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, was awarded Dr. C P Thakur being felicitated by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with a garland and a shawl
‘Rashtrakavi Dinkar Bihar-GauravSarvocch Shikhar Samman’ for his active role in social service, which was close to the poet’s heart. Dr. Dharma Charya, President of Bihar Pradesh Bharat Sevak Samaj, said: “We are proud to award ‘Rashtrakavi Dinkar Bihar-Gaurav Sarvochh Shikhar Samman’ to Padma Bhushan Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak for his active role in social service, spreading Sulabh Shauchalaya technique all over the world for the past 45 years with modesty, simplicity, and without vanity.” Receiving the award, Dr. Pathak said that the ideals that poet Dinkar cherished and promoted are still relevant today and will continue to guide our people for a thousand years. As a true nationalist, patriotism was reflected in all his poems. The poem ‘Himalaya’ written in 1933 stirred the consciousness of the youth with great fervour. He found parallels between the poet’s works and that of Sulabh. The poet raised his voice against casteism and all sorts of discriminations in society in the same way that Sulabh had been doing for the past 45 years. The poet was also sympathetic towards Dalits and destitute widows who were deserted by their own kith and kin, which has been the prime focus of Sulabh in its social reforms.
Dr. Pathak said, for the past three years, Sulabh has been serving thousands of destitute widows living in the ashrams of Vrindavan and Banaras. Today, they happily participate in all important festivals like Holi and Diwali, which were barred to them for a long time. He further added, “We are also engaged in rehabilitation of scavengers, who were victims of untouchability for centuries. They have now been brought into the mainstream of society and are leading a dignified life”. Dr. CP Thakur, BJP Member of Parliament, who was the chief guest, said Poet Dinkar’s poems were noted for strong feelings and unique style. They always inspired him and had awakened national consciousness during our country’s freedom struggle. He further added, “Dinkarji is one personality who deserves to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. His literature is famous all over the world. I have raised this demand in Delhi”. Also honoured on the occasion were Haridwar Pandey, Jiyalal Arya, Ram Updesh Singh, Satya Narayan Mishra, Dr. Shivansh Pandey, Prof. Ramakant Pandey and Bhoop Narayan Singh. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 25
The ceremonial lamp being lit by Dr. JP Singh with Dr. D Thakur and Dr. Manju Rani Sinha
R emembrance
Dr. R K Sinha Memorial Lecture on
Language of Mysticism
D
r. Damodar Thakur, eminent linguist and Chairman, Department of English, Sana’a University, Yemen, remembered Dr. RK Sinha as Bihar’s first scholar to do D.Phil. from Oxford University under the supervision of Lord David Cecil. He was also the first in the world to do research work on ‘Literary Influences on DH Lawrence’. Dr. Sinha was appointed Lecturer in English in Patna College in 1937. In 1946, he went to England to do research work and completed his thesis in 1950. He was appointed head of the Department of English, Patna University in 1952. He retired on 31 December 1978 and passed away on 27 August 2003. A devoted teacher and researcher, Dr. RK Sinha was always an inspiration for students, researchers, and teachers. 26 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
Dr. JP Singh, Former Professor and Head of the Department of English and Former ViceChancellor, LN Mithila University inaugurated the memorial lecture. He said that the poetry of mysticism could be found in the use of paradoxes and quoted lines from the Bhagwada Gita, Arabic poetry, Kabir and others to prove his point. Dr. Shiv Jatan Thakur, Professor and Head of the Department of English, presided over the function. The term mysticism means to conceal. Speaking on the ‘The Language of Mysticism’ Dr. Damodar Thakur said that there are at least six important characteristics of the language of mysticism. These are supra-affirmative, supra-grammatical, supra-superlative, supra-logical, supra-rational and highly loaded with symbols. Supra-affirmative is the result of negatives.
Glowing tributes were paid to Professor (Late) Dr. R K Sinha, Former Head of the Department of English, Patna University, at the Memorial Lecture organised in his honour on 27 August, his 13th death anniversary. The lecture was held under the aegis of Dr. RK Sinha Memorial Committee whose patron is Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement at the Seminar Hall of the Bihar Industries Association, Patna According to Dr. Thakur, “Generally when we introduce someone, we use affirmative by saying, ‘He is Mr. so and so, the son of Mr. so and so’ etc. We do not say ‘he is not Mr. so and so’. However, in mysticism when we introduce the Vedas, we say ‘neti, neti’- ‘no end, no end’, meaning thereby the use of negatives becomes supra-affirmative”. Dr. Thakur quoted lines from Raman Maharshi, Eckhart, Mandukya Karika, Kathopanishad and Nagarjuna to prove that the negatives make supraaffirmative ideas. Nagarjuna’s writings belows about the mystery of God and His creation form a case in point. There is no birth; Nor is there death; There is no beginning; Nor is there any ending. Supra-grammatical is the second characteristic of the language of mysticism. The general rule of suffixes cannot control the language of mysticism. Dr. Thakur quoted the following lines as an example. “Thou shall lose thy thyness and dissolve in his hisness; thy thine shall be mine, so utterly one mine that thou in him shalt know eternal-wise his isness, free from becoming; his nameless nothingness. It is evident here that: • The use of pronouns as nouns is typical in this language. For example, I am He whom I love, and He whom I love is I; • Adverbs are used as nouns. For example, God and the soul are not one single here, one single now; • Even the use of tense is deviant for example, ‘I am before Abraham was’ (The Bible) Dr. Thakur further said, “Generally feelings, emotions, thoughts and ideas are expressed in sentences. No sentence
is possible without subject and finite predication (i.e. verb, object etc.). But only nouns can form sentences in the language of mysticism. In the Mahabharata, fine pieces of poetry have been written only with the help of the nouns. Then the question is whether we can reduce the number from one thousand to less. The answer is ‘yes’ and the three words are – ‘bhuh’, ‘bhuwah’, ‘swah’. Then again the question is: Can we reduce them to one word? The answer is ‘yes’ and the noun is ‘Brahma’, that has the same connotation as the earlier three or one thousand nouns. Supra-superlative is another characteristic of the language of mysticism. For example, the Mundaka Upanishad says, ‘ultimate reality is finer than the finest and also farther than the farthest’. Supra-logical also characterises the language of mysticism. For example, the Ishopanishad says, ‘The ultimate reality is movable and immovable and does not move and as something that is inside and at the same time outside’. Supra-rational, too, characterises the language of mysticism. The Purush of the Rig Veda says, ‘In the beginning there was nothing, not even nothingness’.
Dr. R K Sinha was Bihar’s first scholar to do D.Phil. from Oxford University under the supervision of Lord David Cecil. He was also the first in the world to do research work on ‘Literary Influences on D.H. Lawrence’
Dr. Manju Rani Sinha, retired Principal of Magadh Mahila College and Dr. RK Sinha’s daughter, spoke on the teaching skills of her father, his love for flowers, fatherly affection for his students and researchers, his devotion and dedication to teaching and guiding research work. Dr. KP Singh, former member of the Bihar Public Service Commission and former Vice-Chancellor, BN Mandal University, was the guest of honour. The function started with the lighting of the lamp, Saraswati Vandana and garlanding of the portraits of Goddess Saraswati and Dr. RK Sinha. Dr. Shanker Dutt, Professor of English, Patna University, welcomed the guests. Prof. Sidheshwar Dhari Sinha, Secretary, Dr. RK Sinha Memorial Committee, presented the Secretary’s report and Dr. Radha Mohan Singh, Professor of English and Dean, Faculty of Humanities proposed a vote of thanks. The organising team of the memorial lecture consisted of Dr. RM Singh, Dr. Samir Kumar Sharma, Dr. AK Singh and Dr. Gunjan. Thanks to the support, encouragement, and inspiration of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the third volume of ‘Approaches’, the biannual international research journal of English language and literature was released on the occasion. Dr. Samir Kumar Sharma, Department of English, BN College, Patna, is the Editor, while Dr. Gunjan, Department of English, Science College, Patna, is the Associate Editor of the journal, which carries 18 articles written by eminent scholars and researchers, one book review, and six poems. This journal has been dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India and published by Sulabh International, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is its patron. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 27
open forum
Delhi Schools’ Discuss
Right to Water and Sanitation for Children Many Indian children end up malnourished even though they are fed fairly well by Indian standards. The reason is unsanitary living conditions even though access to Water and Sanitation is a basic right. The Sulabh School Sanitation Club organised an Open Forum on this issue with a focus on Swachh Vidyalaya: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at the Mavalankar Hall on 8 September. Writes K.Suchitra 28 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
F
or years, international nongovernmental organisations have been puzzled by the fact that children in India were more malnourished than their counterparts in the Democratic Republics of Congo or Somalia, even though those countries were economically worse than India. The answer lies apparently in lack of sanitation and India’s high rate of open defecation. Almost half the country’s people defecate in the
open, seemingly in obedience to some ancient texts advising people to relieve themselves far from home. Though Mahatma Gandhi realised that this could be a big problem, a millennia of tradition was hard to break. Untreated faecal waste is also equivalent to open defecation. In this, wastewater treatment systems in major cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi that are nowhere near the standards of those in the developed
Children in India were more malnourished than their counterparts in the Democratic Republics of Congo or Somalia, even though those countries are far poorer than India
population defecates outdoors, the statistics in India are staggering. The Sulabh School Sanitation Club organised an Open Forum on the issue of the implementation of the human right to water and sanitation in India with a focus on the Swachh Vidyalaya: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The Forum was held at Mavalankar Hall on 8 September. The goal of the Forum was to discuss the successful completion of 4 lakh toilets in 2.61 lakh schools of India and how to keep these toilets well maintained and running. The right to water and sanitation recognised as a fundamental human right by the United Nations. Promotion of human rights is an important means for improving the water access and governance, and In India, there is limited access to safe drinking water and sanitation, especially for children.
world compound the problem, polluting water bodies in addition. Considering that in neighbouring Bangladesh, only three percent of the
The conference brought together more than 400 students of Delhi schools including those from Pusa Public School, DTEA, Janakpuri, Shiv Vani Senior Secondary School, Kamal Model School, CRPF Public School, DTEA R.K. Puram, St. Gregorius School, Kamal Public School, Universal Public School, Sulabh Public School, Sarvodaya
The ratio for per defecation in India are high. It’s even more staggering when you consider that in neighbouring Bangladesh, only three percent of the population goes to defecate outdoors
Kanya Vidyalaya, Janakpuri, SAM International School, Neo Convent School, M R Vivekananda School and Queens Valley School. The main theme of the conference was the children’s right to water and sanitation post building of school toilets with CSR funds and its use and maintenance in future. Within this theme, important questions on water and health as a tool for the right to water and sanitation implementation, the situation of school sanitation and hygiene and practice in India, children’s participation and the financial and technical mechanisms were raised by the students before a panel of guest speakers. The Children’s Forum provided opportunities for the young participants to improve their advocacy skills in the matter of children’s access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
Open Defecation Speaking on the occasion Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement and Mentor, Sulabh School Sanitation Club, said the progress on sanitation has been hampered by inadequate investments in behaviour change campaigns, lack of affordable products for the poor and social norms, which accept or even encourage open defecation. He went on to add, “Until everyone has access to adequate sanitation facilities, the quality of water supplies will be undermined and too many people will continue to die from water-borne and water-related SULABH INDIA
September 2015 29
open forum diseases”. Mr. Sujoy Majumdar, WASH Specialist, UNICEF, said the practice of open defecation is also linked to higher risks of stunting or chronic malnutrition, which affects 161 million children worldwide, leaving them with irreversible physical and cognitive damage. Dr. Shayli David Stephens, Consultant, Department of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, Government of India, said to benefit human health it is vital to further accelerate progress on sanitation, particularly in rural and underserved areas. She added that plans for the new Sustainable Development Goals to be set by the United Nations General Assembly in September include a target to eliminate open
The progress on sanitation has been hampered by inadequate investments in behaviour change campaigns, lack of affordable products for the poor and social norms
year. He was thankful to Sulabh for keeping the city neat and clean and free from open defecation by providing public toilets at almost all vantage points. Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi, Member of Parliament, was happy to know that a forum of this magnitude is being organized on Swaachh Vidyalaya: Swacchh Bharat, a brain child of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said that the government has been able to successfully complete a herculean task of building school toilets
defecation by 2030. in collaboration with the corporate bodies, that too in one year. She said she would continue to participate in such events organised by the Sulabh School Sanitation Club in future.
Mr. Pinaki M i s h r a , Member of Parliament from Puri, Odisha said, according to reports, rural areas are home to seven out of 10 people without access to sanitation and nine out of 10 people who defecate in the open. He lauded the efforts of Sulabh International at Puri during the Rath Yatra Festival this 30 SULABH INDIA
Deep Kumar U p a d h y a y a , Ambassador of Nepal to India, appreciated the efforts of Sulabh International in providing sanitation to the people of India. September 2015
He hoped that someday, Nepal would also be lucky to have the services of Sulabh in terms of public toilets. He was thankful to Mr. Modi for promoting the cause of school sanitation in a vigorous way. Principals of schools and several other community leaders also underlined the importance of sanitation after drawing attention to garbage and filth not only dotting slums and colonies of the poor but also the neighbourhoods of posh colonies because of the general attitude of society to take such things for granted, instead of raising a voice against them. “The attitude of indifference to insanitation must change, now that no less a leader than the Prime Minister of our country has launched a crusade against it”, said a school Principal. The Open Forum saw some beautiful cultural presentations by schools from Delhi and a glittering fashion show performed by the Sanitation Club members that regaled the audience. An art competition was also organised in which many students participated in on-the-spot painting. The winners were awarded prizes. Principals and teachers of some schools were also specially honoured with garlands and shawls by Dr. Pathak and Usha Chaumar, a liberated scavenger lady, now designated as President of Sulabh. The Open Forum concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.
INNOVATION
PooP To The ReScue oF AiliNG SToMAchS Morarji Desai, former prime minister, used to provoke much humor at his own cost whenever he advocated drinking “mutra” (urine) as the cure to some ailments. However, modern research shows that poop therapy may actually be the cure for some stomach ailments. Writes Janak Singh
P
oop as a cure? Although Ayurveda does recommend such remedies, it sounds unbelievable. But it may not be long now before poop as remedy for frequently upset bellies gains acceptance in our country on a wider scale. Abroad, it’s already being used as another line of treatment for chronic belly complaints. Believe it or not, it’s true – human faeces can be used for treating gut infections that many people suffer from. In the first week of August, a 44-year-old man suffering for 11 years from ulcerative colitis, which is a form of inflammatory bowel disease, underwent a life-saving faecal transplant at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurgaon. There was marked relief in his symptoms nine months later. He is off all medication now. Dr. Avnish Seth, Director, Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Sciences at the hospital, said six more patients are undergoing treatment, while another one is in waiting. The operation took place because the patient was passing stools mixed with blood on most days. No amount of steroids and other medications could help him. The donor was a healthy family member. Dr Seth says more such case results have to be vetted before declaring it a success and advising the procedure for patients suffering from severe infection of the gut. Faecal Transplant Dr. Anupam Sibal, Medical Director of Apollo Hospitals, said they have also conducted faecal transplant successfully on one patient. “We have good and bad bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and there is a
balance between them. When it gets disturbed, gastrointestinal symptoms occur. There is a lot of interest in the concept of putting in healthy bacteria to get this balance right. Initial results are encouraging to say the least,” he added. Faecal transplant is carried out in the western countries at an exorbitant cost. Dr Seth of Fortis Hospital said it has worked out a “do it at home” model where a close family member donates the stool and the processing is carried out at home to reduce the cost. “Also, our technique of putting a donor’s stool deep into the colon with colonoscope and not just a rectal enema has not been reported earlier,” he said. Doctors said faecal transplant has been used for centuries to treat equine diarrhoea. “In World War II, German soldiers learnt that ingestion of even camel stool helped in recovering from bacillary dysentery. In 1958, the first faecal transplant for pseudomembranous colitis was reported when the condition of three of four critical patients improved following Faecal Microbial Transplants (FMT) enema,” said a doctor. “Poop pills may offer a better way to eradicate this deadly infection”, says another report on Google. A promising new study abroad puts a decidedly positive spin on the epithet ‘eat shit’. It shows that pills containing
In World War II, German soldiers learnt that ingestion of even camel stool helped in recovering from bacillary dysentery
human faecal matter are an effective treatment for people suffering from potentially deadly infections caused by the bacterium known as Clostridium difficile (C.difficle or C-diff). The pills may be a more palatable alternative to existing methods of administering so-called FMT (also known as faecal bacteriotherapy), a treatment proven to curb severe diarrhoea and other symptoms that characterize C. difficile infections. “Numerous reports have shown that FMT is effective in treating active C. difficile infection and preventing recurrences in patients whose infections failed to respond to standard treatments”, Dr. Ilan Youngster, a Fellow in pediatric infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and one of the scientists involved in the study said in a written statement released by the hospital. “The procedures that have been used before – colonoscopies, nasogastric tubes, even enemas – all have potential risks and discomforts for patients”. But new research published in Journal of the American Medical Association says there is a third, less invasive, less expensive option to treat C-diff: poop in a pill. “This ground-breaking paper shows that with encapsulated, frozen donor stool, fecal transplantation can be used to successfully treat recurring C-diff infection in 90 percent of cases”, says George H. Russell, MD, MS, pediatric gastroenterologist in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and coauthor of the Massachusetts General Hospital-sponsored study. SULABH INDIA September SULABH INDIA September 2015 2015 31
MEMOIR
Touched by
an Angel
PEOPLE say that there are angels on this Earth living among us in human bodies and that at least once in one’s lifetime, a person is touched by them. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak is one such angel who has served humanity and left a long-lasting impression
I
By Masembe Tambwe
n my three decades or so of being on Earth, I have to say I am mighty thankful to having been touched by a number of angels so far. The above paragraph is actually the introduction of a book I am working on for I believe a little inspiration is needed in people’s lives today. Call me a dreamer or a realist as my friend Orton likes to refer to me as, but I have this notion that one of our purposes in life is leaving a lasting mark on another’s life. The memory of that meeting should either put a lasting smile on your face or be a life lesson. A couple of years ago, when I was relatively new to Dar es Salaam, my dad got confused about the dates that I was arriving from Tabora and didn’t meet me at the airport. I eventually grabbed a cab and roamed the streets until by God’s Grace I bumped into someone who swore he would leave no stone unturned until I got home. You see several years earlier, my dad had gone out of his way to help this man and he had left a lasting impression on him. Now when this man realised that I was my dad’s son, he went out of his way to help me. The life lesson I got there was to always treat people with kindness and if you are in a position to help go out of your way and help; 32 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
most times it doesn’t cost you much. The second person I consider an angel on Earth is the Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. He taught me and is still teaching the power of giving and the inner glorification one derives for it. For over four decades, Dr. Pathak has been working with the untouchables in India. They are the lowest of the lowest in the caste system. Basically, for centuries the untouchables because of their status were toilet cleaners and not allowed within other segments of society and lived on the outskirts of towns. They were not allowed to touch people of higher caste, not allowed to eat with other people and not even allowed to draw water from wells and had to wait for someone of the upper castes to draw water for them. They had to a wear a bell around their neck to alert others that they were approaching. With the help of a simple invention of a twin-pit latrine that didn’t need the waste to be removed on a daily basis and used less amounts of water than the average flush toilet, the untouchables were emancipated and today do all that they never used to be allowed to do before. Thanks to him,
I consider an
angel on Earth is
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. He taught and is still teaching the power of giving and the inner glorification one derives for it
they have been to America, Europe and beyond. Though untouchability is banned in India, there are pockets that still exist but for those he has rescued, he is a messiah to many. In one of my trips there, I experienced first-hand how his power of giving works in automatic mode so as to speak. A local paper ran a story of a bride who had left her husband’s house and returned to her parents’ home because there was
The power of giving
is huge and doesn’t always need to be monetary terms. It can be a smile, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on
The writer in the Sulabh Public School
no toilet and she had to walk several kilometres to get a secluded place to ease herself. In many societies, it is a taboo for a bride to return home unaccompanied and in India it is even more pronounced. When word of this incidence reached Dr. Pathak’s ears, without hesitation, he announced the following day that they would travel to the village where it happened. Moreover Sulabh would build a toilet for her and her family and she would get 4,000 US Dollars for the courage that she displayed and that’s exactly what happened. The news went viral and before long, word of the woman’s courage had spread. More people came up and Sulabh kept its word and helped build their toilets and along the way touched and enriched the lives of thousands of people. Recently, Dr. Pathak embarked on
serving widows. In Hindu society, when a woman loses her husband, it is considered a bad omen. And, therefore, widows stop wearing ornaments, are not allowed to wear bright coloured saris or perform certain holy rituals. If they are not living in ashrams and are at home then they are not allowed to be part of a party or festivity at home. Sulabh, within a very short time, has provided round-the-clock medical care to these widows of Vrindavan where they live in ashrams, given them a stipend so that they no longer have to beg, bettered their living quarters, and is teaching them Hindi and English as well as including them in performing certain rituals that they thought they would perform only in another lifetime. I have visited the place where they serve the widows and met people who have been widowed for over 50 years;
they range between 30 and 105 years in age. Sulabh International is one of the biggest NGOs in India working on sanitation and, one may argue that they are able to do so because of their financial might. That can be a point but giving is about the heart and not the size of the wallet. Whenever I need some blessing, a simple delicious home cooked meal can provide that. When my brother and the help congratulate me for the meal, the soul is fulfilled. The power of giving is huge and doesn’t always need to be in monetary terms. It can be a smile, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, giving someone the right directions, buying a bottle of water for the beggar on the street, the list is endless. Let’s strive at making a difference in other people’s lives and leave a lasting impression on them. Stay safe. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 33
Swachh bharat abhiyan
A small step &
big change
Toilet-for-all is a good idea whose time has come There was a time when the toilet was a sign of affluence and only rich persons had it in their houses and the poor had to sit out. Women were worst hit. Not now. The growing urban sanitation need, awareness and education have made toilet everybody’s necessity. No wonder, the Prime Minister has made toilet a policy priority, hoping to provide toilets for all by 2019, the 150th birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi, for whom abolishing manual scavenging and sanitation were more important than Independence. Mr. Modi says toilet first, temple later. Writes S.P. Singh
I
The Prime Minister took up the broom and it became an iconic segmsor of our time to promote Swachh Bharat 34 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
n the history of successful social movements, there have been always flashpoints that have ignited people’s imagination, demanding change. It happened with the Gandhian movement, which first began in Champaran in 1917 leading finally to freedom. Movements happen when people revolt against
stasis. Or, they happen when people seek to end social prejudices, like untouchability, slavery or apartheid among others. All successful movements have some common key features—a leadership of a few visionary individuals and organisations, a moral movement that raises the consciousness of the masses and creates the environment where change happens. The most important prerequisite for a mass movement is, however, the ability of the leader to convince people that change can happen, if they also commit themselves to achieving it. The Sulabh Sanitation Movement which started in 1970 is the continuation of the Gandhian movement, which was more of a statement than an organised attempt to change things. During the past 45 years, the Sulabh Movement had highs and lows but always fought for change. Sulabh’s greatest glory lay not in falling but in rising every time it fell. Once it began succeeding, it became a pan-India movement with wide public, political and social support. The progress made in sanitation since 1970 has proved that manual scavenging, open defecation, and insanitation-caused diseases are not inevitable, nor is poverty. They are the consequences of neglect and social failure to change.
a flaSHpOint Sanitation has come into high significance after Prime Minister Modi announced from the Red Fort that building toilets, specially in schools, is the high policy priority of his government. After that, toilet has become a national mascot. There is an interesting analogy. Roman Emperor Constantine (AD 285-337) converted to become the first Christian when he saw a vision of Jesus on the Cross during the battle with Maxentius, co-emperor, whom he defeated in a hard-fought battle. He believed that he won the battle because of Jesus and, hence, became a Christian.
The progress made in sanitation since 1970 has proved that manual scavenging, open defecation, and insanitationcaused diseases are not inevitable, nor is poverty
Government data shows that as many as 7.1 lakh individual household toilets were built in January, the highest for any month since the project was launched in October. According to the latest data, a total of 31.83 lakh toilets have been built between April 2014 and January 2015, which is 25.4% of the target for 2014-15. The programme entails an investment of nearly Rs. 2 lakh crore over the next five years to construct 12 crore toilets in India.
aWaReneSS caMpaign And entire Europe became Christian following him. When Dr. Pathak started the Sulabh Movement, it was an obscenity to talk about toilets. Now, toilet is talked about from the Red Fort.
SWacHH BHaRat aBHiYan The ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ kick-started on 2 October 2014 by the Prime Minister who wielded the broom at the forefront to make India clean and an open defecation-free nation by the year 2019—Gandhiji’s 150th birth anniversary. He invited all the Indians to devote 100 hours to clean their surroundings. The most important aspect of ‘the Clean India’ drive is to build toilets for rural households and sanitation complexes for girls and boys in schools. The campaign has already got overwhelming support from corporate houses as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as well as from celebrities joining in to make it a mass movement. As per the Census 2011, 113 million households do not have toilets, which means nearly 50% of households in India still defecate in the open and are exposed to diseases, harassment and shame. Girls’ dropout figure from schools in rural India after Class V is 50%. Lack of separate toilet facility for girls in schools is the central de-motivating factor amongst others for dropping out.
The role of multiple stakeholders has been well acknowledged by the Prime Minister for the initiative to be successful. With regard to CSR initiatives on toilets, apart from hiring contractors to create toilet facilities, companies would need to partner with social organisations in ensuring behaviour change and maintenance. To give a boost to the programme, the government has brought it in convergence with the rural housing scheme, Indira Awaas Yojana, and sought financial and technical support from the World Bank, besides asking corporates to undertake the project as part of their CSR initiative.
SUlaBH ROle in pROMOting pM’S caMpaign Sulabh has also extensively joined the Prime Minister’s toilet movement, besides building toilets, in creating mass awareness. Sulabh launched a special cleanliness campaign at the recently renovated historic Assi Ghat. The Prime Minister had visited the Ghat and praised the work. The cleaning of the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple is being done by the organisation. Sulabh has taken up many other sanitation projects on the call of the Prime Minister. One wonders how times have changed. Clearly, toilet is an idea whose time has come. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 35
PROFILE
AKSHAYA PATRA
Nourishing young India The Akshaya Patra Foundation commonly known as Akshaya Patra, is a non-profit organisation that runs the school lunch programme across India. Established in 2000, the organisation feeds 1.4m children daily
T
he initial days of implementing the programme were not smooth sailing due to lack of vessels and vehicles to pack and transport the cooked food to the schools. Mohandas Pai and Abhay Jain, two of the pioneer philanthropists of the Foundation, were instrumental in bringing some relief. Mohandas Pai stepped in by donating the first vehicle to deliver food to the schools and Abhay Jain promised to get more donors to further the programme. Akshaya Patra is operational across 24 locations in 10 states. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
36 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
and Telangana. The Foundation feeds 1.4 million children daily covering more than 10,000 government schools. The Foundation follows both centralised and decentralised kitchen formats to implement the programme. The NP-NSPE guidelines cite the Foundation’s centralised kitchen format as a model infrastructure for large-scale production of mid-day meals. Akshaya Patra also serves as a member of the National Steering-cumMonitoring Committee (NSMC) for the mid-day meal programme. It may be recalled that to improve primary education and counter classroom hunger the Government of India developed two significant programmes – the
OtHeR pROgRaMMeS Apart from the mid-day meal programme, Akshaya Patra implements other feeding and socio-developmental initiatives. These are tabled below. Feeding Programmes
Socio-developmental Initiatives
Anganwadi feeding
After-class tuitions
Feeding expecting and lactating mothers Feeding programme in special schools Subsidised lunch for economically backward
Life skills programme Community health camps Scholarship programmes
Feeding runaway children Health check-up camps Feeding programmes in old-age homes Feeding the homeless Disatster relief
A view of the activities of Akshaya Patra with School children enjoying their lunch
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS). The SSA aims to achieve universalisation of elementary education (UEE) in a time-bound manner, by making available free and compulsory education to the children aged between 6 and 14 years. The socio-economic scenario of the country required an incentive to further the SSA initiative and the MDMS provided the answer. The MDMS focuses on providing free school lunch at all government schools in order to enhance enrolment, retention and attendance among children and also simultaneously to improve their nutritional levels. It was indeed a noteworthy initiative as the impact of this scheme was progressively seen across the country. Witnessing the impact, the education sector received a 17-percent increase in budget allocation for the programme. A total of around 11 crore children across 12 lakh schools are benefitting from the MDMS.
Everyday the Foundation feeds 1.4 million children covering more than 10,000 government schools
aKSHaYa patRa USa With people’s overwhelming and enduring support, Akshaya Patra USA exceeded its fund-raising goal of $3.2m for 2012 by raising $5.6m. This included a generous grant of $2m by Caterpillar Foundation for building a kitchen in Uttar Pradesh. In keeping with the principle of transparency, the Foundation complies with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and with the Indian Accounting Standards issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for reporting its financials year-on-year. Akshaya Patra publishes its Annual Report with audited financial reports and makes it available for all its stakeholders, at the end of every financial year.
affiliateD ORganiSatiOnS The Akshaya Patra Foundation has received aid, goodwill and support from many noteworthy organisations like Jamsethji Tata Trust, HDFC Bank Ltd, Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC), and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL). Akshaya Patra is the first NGO to have got enlisted in the ICAI Hall of Fame and it is the third entry across all industries. The Foundation is ranked 23rd among Top 100 NGOs by the Global Journal in its 2013 edition. It is featured as one of the eight game changers in the inaugural issue of Innowin India’s first magazine dedicated to innovation. Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records recognise Akshaya Patra as running ‘The world’s largest school meal programme’. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 37
story
L
ong, long ago, when this old world was in its infancy, there was a child named Epimetheus who never had either a father or mother. In order that he might not be lonely, another child, fatherless and motherless like him, was sent from a far country to be his playfellow. This child was Pandora. The first thing that Pandora saw when she entered the cottage where Epimetheus dwelt was a great box. And almost the first question that she put to him, after crossing the threshold was, "Epimetheus, what have you in that box?" "My dear little Pandora," answered Epimetheus, "that is a secret, and you must be kind enough not to ask any questions about it. The box was left here to be kept safely, and I do not myself know what it contains." "But who gave it to you? And where did it come from?" asked Pandora. "That is a secret, too," replied Epimetheus. "How provoking!" exclaimed Pandora, pouting her lip, "I wish the great ugly box were out of the way." "O come, don't think of it anymore!' cried Epimetheus. "Let us run out of doors, and play with the other children." It is thousands of years since Epimetheus and Pandora were alive. Then, everybody was a child. Children needed no fathers and mothers to take care of them because there was no danger or trouble of any kind, and there were no clothes to be mended, and there was always plenty to eat and drink. Whenever a child wanted his dinner, he found it growing on a tree and if he looked at the tree in the morning. It was a very pleasant life indeed. No labour to be done, no lessons to be studied, 38 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
Pandora and
the Great Box n NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE nothing but sports and dances and sweet voices of children talking or singing. What was most wonderful of all, the children never quarreled among themselves, neither had they any crying fits, nor, since time first began, had a single one of them ever gone into a corner and sulked. The truth is, those ugly little winged monsters called Troubles had never yet been seen on the earth. Perhaps the very greatest uneasiness which a child had ever felt was Pandora's vexation at not knowing the mystery of the box. Epimetheus countered Pandora’s curiosity to what lay in the box by exhorting her to play or gather figs for supper. But
Pandora, consumed by her curiousity, started urging Epimetheus to open the box. Epimetheus’s face showed so much horror at the idea of looking into a box, which had been given to him on his promise never to open it, that Pandora thought it best not to suggest it any more. Still, she could not help thinking and talking about the box. "At least," said she, "you can tell me how it came here." "It was left at the door," replied Epimetheus, "just before you came, by a person who was smiling and could hardly keep from laughing as he put it down. He was dressed in an odd kind of cloak, and had on a cap that seemed to be made partly of
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864)
feathers, so that it looked almost as if it had wings." "What sort of staff had he?" asked Pandora. "Oh, the most curious staff you ever saw!" cried Epimetheus" It was like two serpents twisting around a stick and was carved so naturally that I at first thought the serpents were alive." "I know him," said Pandora thoughtfully. "Nobody else has such a staff. It was Quicksilver, and he brought me here as well as the box. No doubt he intended it for me; and most probably it contains pretty dresses for me to wear, or something very nice for us both to eat!" "Perhaps so,” answered Epimetheus, turning away. "But until Quicksilver comes back and tells us so, neither of us has any right to lift the lid of the box." "What a dull boy he is!" muttered Pandora, as Epimetheus left the cottage.
THE KNOT OF GOLDEN CORD For the first time since her arrival, Epimetheus had gone out without asking Pandora to accompany him. He went to gather figs and grapes for himself, or seek whatever amusement he could find with other children. He was tired of hearing about the box and nothing but the box. He heartily wished that Quicksilver had left it at some other child's door where Pandora would never have set eyes on it. After Epimetheus had gone, Pandora stood gazing at the box. Though she had called it ugly many times she was fascinated by this very handsome article of furniture. It was made of a beautiful kind of wood with dark and rich veins spreading over its surface, which was so highly polished that she could see herself in it. The edges and corners of the box were skillfully
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American writer. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts to a family with a long New England history. H a w t h o r n e , although not entirely interested in higher education, enrolled at Bowdoin College in 1821. During his college years, Hawthorne met friends he would keep throughout his life including poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, future naval commander Horatio Bridge and future president Franklin Pierce. His first novel, Fanshawe, was published in 1828 anonymously, but it did not receive much attention. Twice-Told Tales was a success, gathering a few favourable reviews one from his friend Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His arguably most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter was one of the first mass-produced books in the United States upon its release in 1850 and it gathered much praise and criticism for the novel’s supposed morbidity. In 1864, he went on a trip with President Pierce regardless of his deteriorating health and it was on the way to Pierce’s home that Hawthorne passed away in the night.
carved with figures of graceful men, women and the prettiest children ever seen. But here and there, Pandora thought that she saw a face not so lovely, or something or the other that stole the beauty from the rest. However, on a closer examination or touching the spot with her finger she
He was dressed in an odd kind of cloak, and had on a cap that seemed to be made partly of feathers, so that it looked almost as if it had wings
would not discover anything. A really beautiful face had been made to look ugly by seeing it sideways. The most beautiful face was carved in the centre of the lid with a garland of flowers about its brow with nothing but the richness of the patina to offset it. Pandora often gazed on this face and imagined that the mouth could smile if it liked, or be grave when it chose, the same as any living mouth. The features, indeed, all wore a very lively and rather mischievous expression. She imagined that had the mouth spoken, it would probably have said something like this: "Do not be afraid, Pandora! What harm can there be in opening the box? Never mind that poor, simple Epimetheus! You are wiser than he, and have ten times as much spirit. Open the box, and see if you do not find something very pretty!" The box, I had almost forgotten to say, was fastened not by a lock but by a very fine knot of gold cord. There appeared to be no end to this knot, and no beginning. The knot was cunningly twisted with so many ins and outs, however, Pandora was tempted to examine the knot and just see how it was made. She started examining the knot without yet trying to undo it. "I really believe," said she to herself, "that I begin to see how it was done. Nay, perhaps I could tie it up again after undoing it. Even Epimetheus would not blame me for that. I need not open the box, and should not, of course, without that foolish boy's consent, even if the knot were untied." It might have been better for Pandora if she had had a little work to do so as not to be so constantly thinking of this one subject. But children led so easy a life before any Troubles SULABH INDIA
September 2015 39
story came into the world that they had a great deal too much leisure. There was little to do. A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers and arranging them in vases and poor little Pandora's day's work was over. And then, for the rest of the day, there was always the box!
GUESSING WHAT WAS IN THE BOX For it was really an endless employment to guess what was inside. Just imagine, my little listeners, how busy your wits would be if there was a great box in the house, which you might suppose contained something new and pretty for your Christmas
40 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
heard something stir inside the box. Listening closely, she thought it was a kind of a stifled murmur or perhaps the singing was merely in her ears? Or could it be the beating of her heart? She was not sure but, at all events, her curiosity was stronger than ever. Her eyes fell upon the knot of gold cord! She convinced herself that she could open it and started doing so. Meanwhile, the bright sunshine came through the open window as did the merry voices of the children playing in the distance and perhaps the voice of Epimetheus. Pandora stopped to listen and wondered if it would not be wiser to let the troublesome knot alone and think no more about the box, but run and join her little playfellows and be happy? However, her fingers were already busy with the knot and the face on the lid of the enchanted box seemed to grin slyly at her. "That face looks very mischievous," thought Pandora. "I wonder whether it smiles because I am doing wrong! I have a great notion to run away!" Just then, by the merest accident, she gave the knot a kind of twist so that the gold cord untwined itself as if by magic, and left the box without a fastening. "This is the strangest thing I ever knew!" said Pandora. "What will Epimetheus say? And how can I possibly tie it up again?" She made one or two What was most attempts to tie the wonderful of all, knot, but soon found the children never it quite beyond her quarreled among skill. It had untied themselves; itself so suddenly neither had they that she could not any crying fits remember how the strings had been doubled into one another;
or New Year's gifts. Do you think that you would be less curious than Pandora? Pandora was certain that there was something very beautiful and valuable in the box and, therefore, she felt just as anxious to take a peep as any little girl would have felt. On this particular day, however, her curiosity grew so much greater than it usually was that at last she approached the box. She was more than half determined to open it, if she could. Ah, naughty Pandora! First she tried to lift the box but it was much too heavy for the slender strength of a child like Pandora. A moment later she thought that she
and she just could not recollect the shape and appearance of the knot. Nothing was to be done, therefore, but to let the box remain as it was until Epimetheus came in. "But," said Pandora, "when he finds the knot untied, he will know that I have done it. How shall I make him believe that I have not looked into the box?" And then the thought came into her naughty little heart that since she would be suspected of having looked into the box, she might just as well do that. The enchanted face on the lid of the box bewitched her to look within as did the tumult of whispers in her ear – or was it her curiosity that whispered: "Let us out dear Pandora—pray let us out! We will be such nice, pretty playfellows for you! Only let us out. "What can it be?" thought Pandora. "Is there something alive in the box? Well!—yes!—I will take just one peep! Only one peep, and then the lid shall be shut down as safely as ever! There cannot possibly be any harm in just one little peep!"'
HOW TROUBLES CAME INTO THE WORLD It is now time for us to see what Epimetheus was doing. This was the first time since his playmate had come that he had tried to enjoy any pleasure in which she did not take part. But nothing went right nor was he nearly as happy as on other days. There was no gladness in his heart and neither did he know what ailed him. For at the time we are speaking of, the world had not yet learned to be unhappy or sick or out-of-sorts. At length, Epimetheus thought it best to go back to Pandora. He gathered some flowers and made them skillfully into a wreath, which he meant to put upon her head. The flowers were very lovely – roses and lilies and orange
blossoms, and a great many more, which left a trail of fragrance behind as Epimetheus carried them along And here I must mention that a great black cloud had been gathering in the sky for some time past, although it had not yet overspread the sun. But, just as Epimetheus reached the cottage-door this cloud began to cut off the sunshine and, thus, to make a sudden darkness. He entered softly, for he meant to steal behind Pandora and fling the wreath of flowers over her head before she knew that he was there. But, as it happened, there was no need of his treading so lightly. He might have trod as heavily as he pleased without Pandora hearing his footsteps. She was too interested in what she was doing for at that very moment she had put her hand to the lid, and was on the point of opening the mysterious box. But Epimetheus himself, although he said very little about it, was also curious to know what was inside. Seeing that Pandora intended to find out the secret, he determined that his playfellow should not be the only wise person in the cottage.
As Pandora raised the lid, the cottage grew very dark; for the black cloud had now swept quite over the sun and seemed to have buried it alive
And, if there were anything pretty or valuable in the box, he meant to take half of it to himself. As Pandora raised the lid, the cottage grew very dark for the black cloud had now swept quite over the sun and seemed to have buried it alive. There had, for a little while past, been a low growling and muttering which all at once broke into a heavy peal of thunder. But Pandora, unmindful of all this, lifted the lid nearly upright and looked inside. It seemed as if a sudden swarm of winged creatures brushed past her, taking flight out of the box, while at the same instant she heard Epimetheus calling as if in pain. "Oh, I am stung!' he cried. I am stung! Naughty Pandora! Why have you opened this wicked box?" Pandora let the lid fall and startled SULABH INDIA
September 2015 41
story looked about her to see what had happened to Epimetheus. The thundercloud had so darkened the room that she could not very clearly see what was in it. But she heard a disagreeable buzzing, as if a great many huge flies, or giant mosquitoes, were darting about. And as her eyes grew more accustomed to the imperfect light, she saw a crowd of ugly little shapes, with bats wings, looking very spiteful and armed with terribly long stings in their tails. It was one of these that had stung Epimetheus. Nor was it a great while before Pandora herself began to scream in no less pain than her playfellow. An ugly little monster had settled on her forehead, and would have stung her if Epimetheus had not run and brushed it away. Now, if you wish to know what these ugly things were which had escaped from the box, I must tell you that they were the whole family of earthly Troubles. There were a great many kinds of Cares; there were more
42 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
than a hundred fifty Sorrows; there were Diseases, in a vast number of miserable and painful shapes; there were more kinds of Naughtiness than it would be of any use for us to talk about. In short, by Pandora's lifting the lid of that miserable box, and by the fault of Epimetheus, too, in not preventing her, these Troubles have gained a foothold among us, and do not seem likely to be driven away in a hurry. For it was impossible, as you will easily guess, that the two children should keep the ugly swarm in their own little cottage. The first thing
On this particular day, however, her curiosity grew so much greater than it usually was that at last she approached the box.
that they did was to fling open the doors and windows in the hope of getting rid of them. Sure enough, away flew the winged Troubles all abroad to torment the small people, everywhere. And what was very strange, all the flowers and dewy blossoms on earth, not one of which had before faded, now began to droop and shed their leaves, after a day or two. The children, who previously seemed always young, now grew older day by day and came to be men and women by-and-by.
WHAT HOPE DOES FOR US Meanwhile Pandora and Epimetheus in the cottage had been grievously stung and were in a good deal of pain, which seemed the more unbearable to them because it was the very first pain that had ever been felt since the world began. Besides this, they were in very bad humor, both with themselves and with one another. Epimetheus sat down sullenly in a corner with his back toward Pandora, while Pandora flung herself upon the floor and rested her head on the fatal box. She was sobbing as if her heart would break. Suddenly there was a gentle tap on the inside of the lid. "What can that be?" cried Pandora, lifting her head. But either Epimetheus had not heard the tap, or was much too upset to notice it. At any rate, he made no answer. "You are very unkind," said Pandora, sobbing again, "not to speak to me!" Again the tap! It sounded like the tiny knuckles of a fairy's hand, knocking playfully on the inside of the box. "Who are you?" asked Pandora. "Who are you, inside of this naughty box?" A sweet little voice spoke from within: "Only lift the lid, and you shall see."
Epimetheus sat down sullenly in a corner with his back toward Pandora, while Pandora flung herself upon the floor and rested her head on the fatal box. She was sobbing as if her heart would break
A chastened Pandora refused to open the box. "Ah," said the sweet little voice again, "you had much better let me out." I am not like those naughty creatures that have stings in their tails. Come, come, my pretty Pandora! I am sure you will let me out." And, indeed, there was a kind of cheerful witchery in the tone that made it almost impossible to refuse anything which this little voice asked. Pandora's heart had grown lighter at every word that came from within the box. Epimetheus, too, though still in the corner turned half around and seemed to be in rather better spirits than before. "My dear Epimetheus," cried Pandora, "have you heard this little voice?" "Yes, to be sure I have," he answered. "And what of it, shall I lift the lid again?" asked Pandora. "Just as you please," said Epimetheus. "You have done so much mischief already that perhaps you may as well do a little more. One other Trouble can make no very great difference." "You might speak a little more kindly!" murmured Pandora, wiping her eyes. "Ah, naughty boy!" cried the little voice within the box, in a laughing tone. "He knows he wants to see me. Come, my dear Pandora, lift
up the lid. I am in a great hurry to comfort you." Epimetheus and Pandora decide to open the lid together and out flew a sunny and smiling little person, hovered about the room and throwing light wherever she went. She flew to Epimetheus and laid the lightest touch of her finger on the spot where the Trouble had stung him, and immediately the pain was gone. Then she kissed Pandora on the forehead, and her hurt was also cured. After performing these good deeds, the bright stranger fluttered over the children's heads, and looked so sweetly at them that they both
began to think it not so very much wrong to have opened the box, since otherwise their cheery guest must have been kept a prisoner among those naughty imps with stings in their tails. "Pray, who are you, beautiful creature?" inquired Pandora. "I am to be called Hope!" answered the sunshiny figure. "And because I am such a cheery little body, I was packed into the box to make up for that swarm of ugly Troubles, which was to be let loose." "Your wings are colored like the rainbow!" exclaimed Pandora. "How very beautiful!" "And will you stay with us," asked Epimetheus, "forever and ever?" "As long as you need me," said Hope, with her pleasant smile, "and that will be as long as you live in the world. I promise never to leave you. There may be times now and then when you will think that I have vanished. But again, and again, and again, when perhaps you least dream of my being with you, you shall see the glimmer of my wings on the ceiling of your cottage." SULABH INDIA
September 2015 43
Distinguished Guests 31 AUGUST 2015
Neelam Sharma, Senior Journalist and Anchor, DD News and Anil Sharma, Documentary Maker, being shown clean water, derived from the Sulabh Public Toilet Complex and treated by the Sulabh Effluent Treatment Plant.
02 SEPTEMBER 2015
Aarti Dudeja , HOD, Dr. Anshu Tiwari, Faculty – Disaster Management along with 71 trainees from the Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA), Gurgaon and Lee Dong Kon along with Lee Sang Jung, Chairman, Moolin, South Korea at the Sulabh Campus.
03 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of students (volunteers for social work) of Mother Teresa Trust, Kolkata, along with team leader Watanabe from Japan, at the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre, on the Sulabh Campus.
03 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of 25 students along with three supervisors from the Army College of Medical Sciences on a visit to see the various activities and technologies on the Sulabh Campus.
44 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
04 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of 41 students from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, along with their faculty members – Leon A. Morenas, Parzil Walegha, Priyamwada Chadha, Rahul Sen and Richard Barrazid – seen at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets, where they evinced keen interest in the important exhibits.
07 SEPTEMBER 2015
Lisa Patel, Acting Gender Coordinator, US Global Development Lab from USAID, Khalil Hashmi, Correspondent, New Delhi Bureau and Jun Kaneka, Bureau Chief, South East Asia and Jennifer Davis, Global Health Student from the United States on a tour to the Sulabh Campus, being shown a model of the Sulabh Toilet by the Sulabh Founder, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.
07 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of 80 villagers of Thanaghazi block of Alwar, Rajasthan along with Salahuddin Saiphy, Programme Leader, Water Management and field team members from the Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon, at the Sulabh Campus.
08 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of 37 Second Year students along with some faculty members from the PG Department of Social Work (MSW), Mar Gregorios College, Chennai, Tamil Naidu on an educational tour to the Sulabh Campus. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 45
Distinguished Guests 09 SEPTEMBER 2015
Kazuo Watanabe, President, TOTO Asia Oceania Pte Ltd., Mr. Yohei Kokubu, TOTO India Industries Pvt. Ltd., Taku Aono, General Manager, and Satoshi Shirakawa, Executive Officer, TOTO Ltd., Tanaka from JICA Headquarter and Mr. Seiya Okawara from JICA, India Office, seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation Movement on the Sulabh Campus.
09 SEPTEMBER 2015
“Mr. Pee and Mr. Poo” modelled by a French artist on display at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets being watched by Bishalakhi Gosh, Founder, along with Radhika Tiwari, Faith Foundation and Global CSR Professional.
10 SEPTEMBER 2015
Subhash Lokhande and Prasad Joshi, PA to Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, MP, watching the Sulabh kitchen that works on biogas, generated from a Sulabh Public Toilet Complex.
10 SEPTEMBER 2015
Vijaylakshmi, President, Pakhi Trust, Shino of India Award Winner, Mumbai, Touseef Khan, Back Office Incharge, along with Hazrat Afroz Madni, President, Madni Welfare & Education Foundation being shown the models of the Sulabh two-pit pour-flush toilets at the Sulabh Campus.
46 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
11 SEPTEMBER 2015
Abhijit Mukherjee, Group Director, Yogesh Mudras, Acting Managing Director, UBM (United Business Media) and Arjun Thapa, Chairman, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Foundation, Nepal, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus.
11 SEPTEMBER 2015
Dr. O P Tiwari, Nagar Swasthya Adhikari, Amarendra Gautam, Assistant Engineer and Shivesh Tiwari, Sanitary Inspector, Varanasi Nagar Nigam, seen at the tailoring class of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre on the Sulabh Campus.
12 SEPTEMBER 2015
Prof. Ramesh Kumar Pandey, ViceChancellor, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi, with his wife Savitri Pandey on a visit to the Sulabh Campus being presented a citation by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement
15 SEPTEMBER 2015
Dr. Smarajit Jana, Principal, Sonagachi Research and Training Institute, Kolkata and Dr. Salig Ram Singh, Principal, SVSS College, Begusarai, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus, seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak along with liberated scavenger ladies from Alwar and Tonk (Rajasthan).
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 47
Distinguished Guests 18 SEPTEMBER 2015
Anand Prasad Bhatt, Rtd. Deputy Secretary, NCRT, New Delhi, Mr. K K Mitra, Vice President along with Ajay Singh, Lloyd Insulations (India) Limited, New Delhi, Sanyam Dugar, PA to MP from Balasore, Odisha, Mouli Banerjee, Public Policy Consultant and Legislative Head, Office of Mr. Jena, MP, Lok Sabha and Yui Masuki, Ph.D. student from Kyoto University, Japan, at the Sulabh Campus along with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and liberated scavenger ladies from Alwar and Tonk, Rajasthan.
21 SEPTEMBER 2015
Robin Young, CFHI, USA, Shweta Raghav (student, MBA) IP University and a group of 35 students of Promotional Training Course along with Suresh (faculty) from Lady Reading Health School, Bara Hindu Rao, Delhi on a visit to the Sulabh Campus themselves with the various technologies and activities of Sulabh.
22 SEPTEMBER, 2015
A group of 68 children from Heritage Vasant Kunj School on an educational tour to the Sulabh Campus, observing a model of the Sulabh Toilet.
23 SEPTEMBER 2015
A group of undergraduate students and two faculty members – Jillian and Josh from the USA – along with their coordinators, Rajshree, Abid and Minnatulah, at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets being shown a commode mount based on Japanese and South Korean technology which ensures post-defecation ablution on push button system. 48 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
23 SEPTEMBER 2015
A section of 41 students of pre-Final Year Civil Engineering, along with their teachers from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Technology for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerela on an educational tour to the Sulabh Campus, observing a model of the pit of Sulabh Toilet.
24 SEPTEMBER 2015
A section of the 44 Second Year B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing students along with Jessy Blesson, Clinical Instructor from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi on their visit to the Sulabh Campus at the Sulabh RO Water ATM where one can drop a 1-rupee coin and collect 1 litre of clean potable water.
26 SEPTEMBER, 2015
Jose Kalathil, Editorial Consultant, “The Statesman”, New Delhi, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus.
28 SEPTEMBER 2015 Emalia Mayo, pre-health student from the United States, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus evinced keen interest in the Sanitary Napkin Facilitation Centre there.
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 49
Sulabh News From States
JAMMU AND KASHMIR : Jammu
A
Sulabh Public Toilet Complex built at a cost of Rs. 6.5 lakh at Purani Mandi, Jammu, was inaugurated on 7 September by Hon’ble Mr. Rajesh Gupta, M L A, in the presence of Mr. Kushal Chand, Joint Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Mr. Juber Ahmad, AEE, Mr. Shashi Khajuria, Secretary, Dharmartha Trust, citizens and Sulabh workers. Mr. Gupta appreciated the work done by Sulabh in the field of sanitation.
A
Sulabh Public Toilet Complex built at a cost of Rs. 10.50 lakh near Government Boys high School at Digiana was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Kavindra Gupta, M L A Gandhi Nagar & Speaker, Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on 6 September 2015 in the presence of Mr. Kushal Chand, Joint Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Mr. Gurucharan Singh, AEE, citizens of the area and workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Jammu & Kashmir State Branch. Speaking on the occasion Hon’ble Mr. Gupta appreciated the good work being done by Sulabh promoting in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Sat Sharma, MLA, inaugurating the Sulabh Toilet Complex at Jamboolochan, Jammu
A
new Sulabh Toilet Complex built at a cost of Rs. 7.50 lakh at Jamboolochan under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by the Jammu Municipal Corporation was inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Sat Sharma, M L A, on 28 September. The complex has separate provision of toilet and urinal for ladies and gents. He appreciated the work performed by Sulabh in the field of sanitation and said, the complex would benefit the people of the area and the visitors as well, specially the ladies. Present on the occasion were eminent citizens local Sulabh workers.
50 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
JHARKHAND : HAZARIBAG
A
ten-seater Sulabh Public Toilet Complex at Malin Basti, Ambedkar Nagar, Garikhana, was dedicated for public use after renovation at a cost of Rs. 8.70 lakh in collaboration with the Nagar Parishad, Hazaribag by Anjali Devi, Chairperson, Nagar Parishad on 18 September. Present on the occasion were Anand Dev, Deputy Chairman, Nagar Parishad, Ajay Saw, Executive Officer, citizens and workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Jharkhand State Branch. Anjali Devi, Chairperson, Nagar Parishad, Hazaribag, dedicating for public use the Sulabh Public Toilet Complex at Hazaribag after renovation
MAHARASHTRA : Pandharpur, Dehu & Alandi
S
ulabh toilet complexes at four sites in the pilgrim centres of Pandharpur, Dehu and Alandi in Maharashtra were commissioned for the benefit of thousands of Warikaris (pilgrims) on the occasion of Aashadhi Ekadashi. The unique ‘new era’ multi-storeyed complexes were constructed under an agreement with the District Collector, officials of the Pandharpur Municipal Corporation and Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. Project agreements were executed for construction of such complexes in
eight sites in Pandharpur and one each in Dehu and Alandi, which include 1140 WCs, 171 VIP toilets, 19 toilets for physically challenged persons, 136 urinals and 350 washrooms. The entire project was planned for execution on the occasion of the fourth centenary year of Sant Tukaram Maharaj, the 17th century poet saint of the Bhakti Movement and an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. The toilet complexes designed to provide pleasant and healthy environment with interior and exterior fitments that are easy to clean
and maintain, with the following user-friendly features: • Accessibility to physically- challenged persons; • Health Centre with doctors from government hospitals deputed during the pilgrimage; • Provision for lifts and future expansion; • 48 hours water storage in overhead and underground tank; • Two wide staircases for comfortable movement during emergency;and • Greenery in surrounding areas. SULABH INDIA
September 2015 51
Sulabh News From States
MADHYA PRADESH : Burhanpur
T
wo Sulabh Public Convenience Centres built near the Bus Stand and Mandi at Burhanpur in collaboration with the Burhanpur Municipal Corporation were inaugurated on 1st and 2nd September 2015 in the presence of officials of the area and workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Madhya Pradesh State Branch. The centres with separate provision of toilets, urinals and bathing facilities for ladies and gents have tubewells for drinking water.
A view of the Sulabh Public convenience Centres
Ratlam
T
hree 12-seater Sulabh Public Toilet Complexes built at a cost of Rs. 19.0 lakh each in collaboration with the Ratlam Municipal corporation were inaugurated on 10 September 2015 at Court premises, Sabji Mandi and Municipal Corporation premises by Himmatji Kothari, Chairman, State Finance Corporation in the presence of Chaitanya Kashyap (MLA), Dr. Sunita Yarde, Mayor, Ratlam Municipal Corporation, Ashok Porwal, Adhyaksha, Ratlam Corporation, SS Rajawat, Executive Engineer, citizens of the area and workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Madhya Pradesh State Branch. The complexes with separate provision of toilets, urinals and bathing facilities for ladies and gents have tubewells for drinking water. A view of the Sulabh Public convenience Centres Inauguration of the Sulabh Public Toliet Complexes
A
12- seater deluxe Sulabh Public Toilet Complex built at a cost of Rs. 19.0 lakh in Mahavir Nagar, Ratlam, in collaboration with the Ratlam Municipal Corporation was inaugurated on 8 September, by Mr. Mubaraq Khan, Councillor in the presence of officials, citizens and Sulabh workers. The complex with separate provision of toilet, urinal and bathing facility for ladies and gents has a tubewell for drinking water.
52 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
RAJASTHAN : Jaipur
A view of the inauguration of the Sulabh Public Convenience Centre at Jaipur
T
he foundation-stone for construction of a One seater Sulabh Toilet Complex to be built at a cost of Rs. 25.16 lakh behind Rajputana Hotel, Jaipur, was laid on 28 August 2015 by Arun Chaturvedi, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of Rajasthan in the presence of Nirmal Nahata, Mayor, Manoj Bharadwaj, Deputy Mayor, Nirmala Sharma, Councillor, Commissioner, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, citizens of the area and workers of Sulabh. The complex will be operated and maintained by Sulabh on pay-and-use basis for a period of 30 years.
Pushkar, Ajmer
A
n eight-seater Sulabh Toilet Complex built at a cost of Rs. 16.37 lakh at Tarni Ghat, Pushkar under the L.C.P. Plan of Ajmer Development Authority was inaugurated on 25 August 2015 by Suresh Singh Rawat (MLA). Present on the occasion were Kamal Pathak, Adhyaksha, Nagar Palika Mandal, Pushkar, Manju Devi Sharma, Councillor, Nagar Palika Pushkar, officials of the Nagar Palika, citizens of the area and workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Rajasthan State Branch. The complex with separate provision for toilets and bathing facility for ladies and gents will be operated and maintained by Sulabh for a period of 30 years on pay-and-use basis.
A view of the inauguration of Sulabh Public Toilet Complex at Pushkar, Ajmer
NEW DELHI
Dr.
AK Roy was felicitated on his appointment as the Medical Superintendent of the Safdarjung Hospital by Rakesh Chandra, Hony. Controller, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Delhi and NCR Branch and Niraj Kumar Singh, Hony. Advisor (Housekeeper) on 3 September.
Inauguration of the Sulabh Public Toliet Complexes
SULABH INDIA
September 2015 53
P H OTO
OF
T H E
M O N T H
Photo by Sipra Das
54 SULABH INDIA
September 2015
SULABH INDIA
September 2015
SULABH INDIA
September 2015