People in rural areas can upload photos of non-usage of toilets on social media and Ministry website

The government proposes to mobilise public support for naming and shaming those not using toilets in rural India.

People can directly upload photos of toilets lying unused on the social media and on the website of the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation from Thursday. The Ministry on Wednesday said people would be mobilised to check and verify the use of toilets in rural areas and could post photos or upload data through mobile phones or tablets.

Official sources said often toilets were built but not used, people stored rice or tie goats inside them. Such incidents could be photographed and uploaded so that action can be taken.

An official release said the nationwide real time monitoring of use of toilets would be launched from the New Year though exact details were awaited. The monitoring system will give a big push to the Swachh Bharat Mission, which aims at attaining a 100 per cent open defecation free India by 2019, said the release.

The Ministry is also being strengthened with 24 additional members.An expert committee will be set up to examine innovative technologies for toilets and solid and liquid waste management. A national telephone helpline will be installed for rural water supply and sanitation.

Under real-time monitoring, there will be a provision for uploading progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission in rural areas “with names of individual beneficiaries, and photos of toilets constructed and coordinates of the toilets,” the statement said.

Sanitation coverage

The Census 2011 report puts sanitation coverage in rural India at 32.7 per cent taking into consideration the increased population. There is an increase of 2.96 crore households using toilets in rural areas as compared to Census 2001 figures.

The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) 2012 report has estimated that 40.6 per cent of rural households have sanitation facilities. As per Baseline Survey Report 2013, 40.35 per cent households have toilets.

After the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) on October 2, as many as 5,03,142 individual household latrines have been constructed ( News)