Hindustan Zinc to build 30,000 toilets in rural Rajasthan

Jaipur :05/12/2012: The camera captures the sight of a tribal farmer ploughing his agricultural field in Kovia village of Udaipur district in Rajasthan in a primitive manner. The plough of the medieval style is used with the help of oxen and the farmer puts seeds and cultivates the land manually for the rabi crop.The much-touted modern agricultural technologies have yet to reach this remote hilly terrain in one of the most backward tribal-dominated regions of the State. Small and marginal farmers, who are poor and uneducated, use their small land holdings for the bare survival.Agricultural equipment are unheard of in Kovia village and there is no one to guide the tribal farmers about the crop pattern, use of pesticides and fertilisers and modern practices that could bring in cash crops along with remunerative prices for the farm produce.on December05,2012.--Photo: Rohit Jain Paras - photographs for Periscope

Hindustan Zinc, a company involved in zinc-lead-silver business, has signed an agreement with the Rajasthan government to build 30,000 toilets for poor families in rural areas.

The construction of these toilets under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan programme in 80 villages will be completed in three years.

“This project has been undertaken by Hindustan Zinc to provide clean and hygienic household toilets to below poverty line (BPL) families and discourage and eventually eliminate the open defecation practice in villages,” the company’s corporate communication head Pavan Kaushik said in a statement.

Hindustan Zinc would spend about Rs.8.6 crore for the toilets.

Construction of each toilet will cost around Rs.8,500. Under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, Rs.4,600 will be paid by the government, Rs.3,000 by Hindustan Zinc and Rs.900 by the beneficiary.

Construction has started in Bhilwara, Chittorgarh and Udaipur districts. So far, 8,000 toilets have been completed.

Two ‘leach pits’ will be made below each toilet to facilitate disposal of waste. Only one pit will be used at a time. Each pit will be full in about five years.

As the first pit becomes full, the second will be opened. Within five years, the waste in the first pit will be converted to manure to be utilised by farmers for agriculture purposes.