Last year Sankota was declared as a Nirmal Gram. Sankota is not a Nirmal Gram mere in name, but it has really changed into a clean village, which will never return back to its earlier phase, when it was looked like a heap of dirty things. The reason is very simple. The awareness among people for cleanliness has arose and this consciousness will never fade.

Earlier, the roads leading this village were would become the public toilets in darkness. Two years ago the UNICEF launched Total Cleanliness Campaign with the help of Vasudha Vikas Sansthan. Under this scheme not only toilets were constructed, but also bathrooms were made and Water Reuse System was installed. The population of Sankota Village Panchayat is around 1000 and all are Bhilala Tribe. The tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh are notorious for waterborne diseases like diarrhea. In Sankota village, these diseases have reduced considerably after better water management and cleanliness drive.

Anganwadi worker Kamla Girwar says, “We have learnt from the cleanliness drive and taken care to keep our Anganwadi clean too. Because of dirty environment children fall victim to diseases quickly. They infect diariya because of eating without washing their hands. That is why in Anganwadi, we have made separate arrangement for toilets and water for washing hands.

There is a Tribal Children Ashram in this village. There are 50 children in the Ashram. The caretaker of the Children Care Home, Pannalal Mukati says, “We pay special attention to cleanliness in the Ashram. We make the children understand its importance in a separate class. The senior children teach the newer one how to use soap while washing hands before taking meals. They are made aware to make it a routine and habit to wash hands before taking meal to keep diseases away.

According to UNICEF, 16 percent of children die all over the world because of diarrhea. 15 Lakh children do not cross their first year of life because of diarrhea and pneumonia, out of these the number of Indian children in 3,86,600. In India, the percentage of children and their mother, who wash their hands with soap after toilet is very low. This is the one of the main reasons for the high rate of child death in India. It has been estimated that the incidents of diarrhea decreases by 44 percent if the practice of washing hands with soap is followed after toilet. Other waterborne diseases can also be prevented by this practice.

Ms Soram Girwal says, “Women feel more empowered and privileged after getting toilets and bathrooms in their homes. It was shameful to use open places for defecating.“ Mohan Girwal says, “All houses have water reuse system installed in them. Water used in bathrooms is converted in gray water through rock filter system and then it is used for flushing the toilet. Now people are being educated to use soap in place of soil in washing their hands after toilet. This practice is increasing day by day.” No doubt, Sankota deserves to be acknowledged as a Nirmal Gram, which means clean village. (IPA)