While there are various endeavours underway to make the nation free from open defecation including government plans, however little matches the impact that this battle has in the fight against the menace.
'Vanar Sena', comprising of an army of kids, has been out on a mission for over a week in the divisional headquarters of backward Bundelkhand. Their ways are effective and original.
This is their modus operandi.
The first step involves members fanning out in their localities early Sunday morning searching for individuals with lotas' and "dibbas" (water containers), defecating in the open. Once the target has been spotted, the group, in a bid to teach these people a lesson, ‘steal’ their water containers and scoot.
“Many open defecators ran away in shame. Though the atmosphere has changed, people still go out in the open to defecate. They are being challenged,” Koushlendra Vikram Singh, municipal commissioner of Sagar, told The Indian Express.
This band of school children is helping the city administration as it gears for Swachch Bharat rankings of 2017 and works to make the city open defecation free (ODF).
"Overall, there are 48 municipal wards and some of them are difficult in the sense that people are still not cooperating," Singh said.
“We plan to make the whole city ODF by December 31,” Singh added.
The district collector, Vikas Narwal, ordered the municipal employees to make a surprise check every morning to check squatters.
"It has desired result. Now, people do not argue and get angry. They simply run," Singh said.
