Manohar Nagar Declared Open Defecation Free
Kanpur Slum Manohar Nagar declared Open Defecation Free
Coming from Lucknow to Kanpur, Jajmau bridge on Ganges, on the right side hillock Manohar Nagar is located. There are 242 houses having 273 families. Most of the male residents in the community work in tanneries as daily wage workers.
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When Shramik Bharti started working in community in 2011, only 25% households had toilets, some were using community toilet and about 60% were using open spaces on the bank of river Ganga for defecation. Liquid waste of families on the bank was flowing directly in the river. Hand pumps were dry. When we worked with women self-help groups and drew their attention to the harms of insanitary living and worked with community on low-cost solutions without government help, gradually situation started improving. Water User Groups formed.
They installed new borewells with submersible pumps and laid distribution lines to every household. Now each family switches on the connection and gets water at home. Sewage line is laid, every family has constructed toilet. Each family has made financial contribution for this and women have taken lead. Ms. Shakeena Lari said with pride that now no one goes out for defecation, we have protected our girls from the shame we used to feel and Kanpur Nagar Nigam has declared us Open Defecation Free community.