Household toilets constructed by SEVAI have Privacy, Safety, Comfort, Cleanliness, and Respect for the beneficiaries’ families.

Household toilet constructed in Palancauvery Village in Trichy District.

House hold Toilet in Palangcavery Village is rightly used by the families constructed under Swachh Bharat and voluntary agency, SEVAI a Trichy based NGO and its partner agencies and the beneficiaries’ families.  This entire campaign is to make the villages clean. Cleanliness in the community is just as important as cleanliness for individuals and families. Sanitation means public cleanliness, using clean and safe toilets, keeping water sources clean, and disposing of garbage safely .Poor sanitation causes a great deal of unnecessary sickness and death. Palangcavery community effort to improve sanitation helps people overcome the challenges they face in their daily lives. Mrs.Benjmine Oberoi, a social activist and consultant for SEVAI motivates the SEVAI team to produce toilet components in SEVAI technology centre involving especially women and transport them to Palangcavery Village situated 2 kms from SEVAI technology centre and construct the house hold toilet. SEVAI Double leach pit toilet is eco-friendly, technically appropriate, socio-culturally acceptable and economically affordable. It provides health benefits by safe disposal of human excreta on-site. It consists of a pan with a steep slope of 25°-28° and an especially designed trap with 20 mm water seal requiring only 1 to 1.5 litres of water for flushing, thus helping conserve water. It does not need scavengers to clean the pits. There are two pits of varying size and capacity depending on the number of users. The capacity of each pit is normally designed for 3 years’ usage. Both pits are used alternately. When one pit is full, the incoming excreta is diverted into the second pit. In about two years, the sludge gets digested and is almost dry and pathogen free, thus safe for handling as manure. Digested sludge is odourless and is a good manure and soil-conditioner. It can be dug out easily and used for agricultural purposes. The cost of emptying the pit can be met partially from the cost of manure made available. The health worker, Jayanthi who knows and listens to the needs of the people has important information and community members work together for the construction of double leach pit toilets, initially targeting 300 families in this village. Trichy District, Development authorities and Block Administration provides its fullest support of achieving the suitable toilets for the households. SEVAI also provides the Information, Education and Communication materials and conduct street plays for creating awareness among the beneficiaries of this sanitation program. Women often care for children and the home, so they recognize sanitation and water issues and they also involve men. When everyone is involved in making decisions and works together to improve sanitation, everyone benefits.Amala, a street play organizer of SEVAI shares that  when human waste is not managed well, it pollutes water, food, and soil with germs, and leads to diarrhea and other serious health problems. The theme of the street play focuses on the use of toilets which prevents germs from getting into the environment, and protects the health of the whole community.Amala and Jayanthi add,”Health is not the only reason to build and use toilets. People also want Privacy, Safety, Comfort, Cleanliness, and Respect. A well-kept toilet brings status and respect to its owner which motivates people to spend their effort to build one".-Kris.