TOILET MAHOTSAV-Moti Bhoyan, Kalol Taluka, Gandhinagar District

Tata Housing and ESI have been organizing sanitation awareness campaigns in the 3 villages of Vadasar, Moti Bhoyan and Khatraj in Kalol block of Gandhinagar district. The demand for construction of new toilets

has increased in these villages after the village survey, 3 days campaign by Nandini Van, demo toilet inauguration and youth training. Hence 50 toilets were constructed in each of the 3 villages. These toilets wereconstructed for the poorest families in the villages.

Through all this work, there has been a steady increase in the momentum around people’s interest in sanitation. We felt it was an appropriate time to make it a people’s program and so we celebrated a ‘Toilet Mahotsav’ on March 10, 2014; centered on the theme of seeing ‘toilet as a temple’. A temple is for the purification of the mind and a toilet is for the purification of our body.

A team of 15 people from ESI organized this event. Before the event started, several activities were carried

out, such as cleaning and beautification of the toilets to be inaugurated, putting up an exhibition of various toilet designs and posters on sanitation and health, teaching kids about sanitation through games. A team of volunteers also went around the village generating excitement about the event among the villagers. It was beautiful to see many villagers join in and help with all the cleaning and setup.  

The event began at 11am with a short prayer, followed by welcome of the guests from Govt, Tata Housing and ESI with a toilet pin. Then, the guests and the ~400 villagers in the audience were given context about the sanitation project being done in the area and the intention of this event. After that, in the presence of the villagers, 5 toilets were inaugurated

in the same way as temples would be. Sanitation kits were also given to these 5 families, as an

encouragement to adopt sanitation as a way of life. Some villagers also shared how access to toilets has had a positive impact in their lives.

Thereafter, Mr. Ajit Pattnaik (GM, Tata Housing) and Mr. Jayesh bhai (Director, ESI) shared a few thoughts with the audience around their gratitude for being part of this project and sharing whatever resources they have. They also offered their continued support to the villagers in

further developing the state of sanitation in the area.

The event was concluded with a vote of thanks to all the villagers for being part of the gathering and to the representatives from Tata Housing for their support and coming for the gathering all the way from Mumbai. After that, prasad was offered to all those present.

Guests

Mr Piyush Waghela (Block Coordinator, Kalol)

Mr. Ajit Pattnaik (GM, Tata Housing)

Mr. Ritesh Darji (Tata Housing)

Mr. Sumit Gole (Tata Housing)

Mr. Jayeshbhai (Director, ESI)