Open Defecation: In Madhya Pradesh, Children to Act as 'Whistleblowers'

Indore: The Madhya Pradesh government has come up with a unique social experiment to launch a sanitation drive to prevent people from defecating in public.

The state government is planning to set up groups of school children in the Indore division who will blow a loud whistle when they spot someone defecating in the open instead of using a toilet.

"Under this drive, we would first raise awareness among students of Class V and VI in rural areas about cleanliness and tell them the disadvantages of defecating in open," Indore Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Sanjay Dubey said.

"Following this, children would be provided whistles. They would be told that if anyone is found going for defecation in the open, they should blow a loud whistle in front of that person. This would make that person feel shameful and would help to check this practice," he said.

Underlining the reason behind this experiment, Mr Dubey said, "It is not just enough to make 'pucca' toilets to stop the practice of open defecation in rural areas. There is also a need to launch an effective social drive in such areas to check it."

The commissioner has also directed his subordinates to put a green mark on those houses in rural areas which have now shunned this practice and have started using 'pucca' toilets.

This will inspire those who defecate in the open to construct proper toilets, he said.

Additionally, people from various sections of the society living in the division would be chosen as "cleanliness ambassadors" and with their help, all efforts would be made to stop this practice, he said.

A drive would also be launched to facilitate construction of 'pucca' toilets in schools and 'aanganwadis', the government-run women and child care centres, Mr Dubey added.