So much for the LOO!

Read through the following incidents they might sound completely familiar:

Somewhere in a village in Maharashtra, two old friends met after 20 years from now both are 25.
A asks B – ‘it might be great to wok in office right?’
B to A – yes it quite an experience being independent
A to B – I wish I could also work somewhere and be productive or at least read and right, you know we also had this Bal Siksha Abhyan Scheme when I was young.
B to A– so what went wrong people in the house could not put you to school
A to B – No, they were all very excited and were all ready but their was a big problem
B to A – What
A to B- You know we did not have LOO built in our house!


Somewhere in Maharashtra today, two ladies talking to each another A – is now more then 9 months pregnant
B to A – had you gone for Sonography again
A to B – yes but the child is still not ready
B to A – what do you mean its not still matured to be born
A to B – it Says it does not what to come out, as it might achieve nothing
B to A – Achieve nothing? Why? I know you and your family are vary excited for this child your family does not even have a issue with boy or girl child.
A to B – No the issue is We do not have a LOO built in the house!

Somewhere in Maharashtra today a seen in Joint family. 4 siblings – and a Mama (Maternal uncle)
Mama- why you are fighting among yourselves you are good grown up young pople each one of you have good experience in Agriculture, your father would have been so proud to see all 4 of you helping each other on your farms.
Sibling A – but that is the problem the farm is still not ours
Sibling B – Therefore we can not avail a scheme or do any investment in our farm.
Mama – why what happened, I remember your father used to own the farm
Sibling C – He still does its not transferred in our name as we do not have his death certificate.
Mama – why
Sibling D- Because we do not have a LOO built in our house.



Somewhere in Maharashtra, in a remote village where political representation is just moving in this village with the hope of issues of this village being represented. A young leader who wishes to stand for local elections with guidance and support of elders is taking to a group of villagers.
Leader – I am really agitated that after all this I will not qualify for the elections
Villager – what are you saying why, you are educated, the papers were clear, your St status is clear what is wrong
Leader – Because I do not have a LOO built in my house.


How ever bizarre it may sound but this is true. Today due to the ‘Baking’ of organisations like UN and World bank and the much talked about Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of which one is of Sanitation to all.

This has caused the Government to push it down on the field or on paper. I live in Maharashtra and do not know if you all have a similar situation. But in Maharashtra people have been devoid of many rights which many Community groups, social movements, etc have got after making a lot of efforts. Today unless you have a built LOO in your house you can not have Birth or Death registration certificate, you can not stand for an election, you can not avail for all the amazing ‘development’ schemes government talks about. I hope people can avail the LOO scheme at least.

I know that the water and Sanitation in all the places including the rural area is important and it deserves to be in MDG. But have we look at it holistically, are their more pressing issues for these rural communities, have we asked for their priorities, have we taken enough time to explain the need for the LOO and create an awareness around it, does the government scheme provide enough money for people to build it and even after all this is done do we have enough of water supply to all these house hold who will be screaming our of the news screens for DRINKING water to flush down the water in the LOO!

So are we really losing one battle for another, will all the education, agricultural, health schemes help if the basic rights can not be accesses. Should these not be our concerns instead of looking at LOOs as the priority? Why So much for the LOO?!!!