A ‘whistle-blower’ who’s helped curb open defecation in a Bihar village

From Patna

Here is a ‘whistle-blower’ of a different kind – and with an altogether different cause as well. The dictionary defines a whistle-blower as a person who informs on someone engaged in illegal activities. But this gentleman transcends this definition by going way further. Inspired by the Akshay Kumar-starrer Toilet Ek Prem Katha, this resident of Bihar’s Banka district has freed his village from the practice of open defecation within six months by a unique modus operandi. By blowing a whistle that is!

Disgusted with his co-villagers defecating on the roadside despite toilets already being constructed in their homes, Anil Mistry, a resident of Majhgai village under Rajaun block in Banka district, took up the gauntlet to free his village from the practice of open defecation.

The 48-year-old Mistry, an unlettered man, first tried to convince his co-villagers not to defecate in the open but to no avail, leaving him clueless about how to stop the menace. A man of strong conviction who earns his livelihood as an agriculture worker and one who is barely able to support his family, carried on with courage. His financial hardships failed to deter him from the humongous challenge of bringing about the crucial change in his village – by curbing open defecation.

[Also, by the same author: And now in ‘dry’ Bihar, AC hajat plus an array of facilities for ‘VIPs’ caught boozing – THE NEWS PORTER]

A battle-weary man, Mistry finally approached Mrityunjay Kumar, the mukhiya of his panchayat, as the latter had stood behind him like a rock in his endeavour.

Now, Mistry keeps guard of the road passing through his village vicinity from 4am to 7am and also between 5pm and 9pm, and whistles whenever he finds someone defecating on the roadside.

Thanks to six months of his undying efforts things took a dramatic turn and the villagers all started using toilets. As a result, open defecation has become a thing of the past in this village.

Among the states and union territories, access to toilet facility is lowest in Bihar (available only in 61.2 per cent of households), according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

Main/featured picture of the poster of the fil Toilet Ek Prem Katha sourced from Wikipedia