City Reports

Build toilets or face power cut, SDM threatens Rajasthan villagers

Orders were withdrawn at the intervention of chief minister office (CMO).

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February 1, 2018, 3:48 pm

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Jaipur: A sub-divisional officer (SDO) threatened to snap power connections of households in Jawaharpura area of Bhilwara district if the villagers didn’t build toilets.

In fact, he ordered to snap the power supply of an entire village – Gangi Kala – when the villagers didn’t comply with these orders. The orders created such frenzy that the chief minister’s office (CMO) had to intervene and directed the Bhilwara district administration to withdraw it.

The SDO was apparently under pressure of meeting targets of building toilets under Swachhata Mission in his jurisdictional area.

According to the officer, only 20 percent of the household in Gangi Kala village have toilets. There are 38 village panchayats in his jurisdiction and only 10 are open defecation free.

When persuasion and other strategies didn’t work, the SDO issued the orders of snapping power supply. He hoped that the order would instill fear among villagers and they would build toilets.

Gangi Kala villagers were given a notice to build toilets within the next 15 days. They were warned that the power supply of the entire village would be snapped if they didn’t comply with the orders.

A senior Bhilwara district administration officer said that the orders have been withdrawn.

“People should be persuaded, not threatened,” the officer said.

First published: August 20, 2017