Saturday, December 11, 2010

India -- A 21st Century Economic Superpower?


Lalithamma from Thamballapalle Mandal in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh gave a vivid picture of the absence of toilets and the impact on girls. Her organisation conducted a survey of 80 schools in the mandal. They found that 52 schools had no drinking water facilities and 57 schools had no toilets. Five schools had toilets but without doors or water. Girls were forced to use the open space behind the school. But as boys also accessed the same area, the girls could not go.

Lalithamma said girls sipped water through the day to avoid going to the toilet. Her data from just five schools makes horrific reading:

  • Thamballapalle High School: 172 girls, two toilets, no water.

  • Kannemadugu High School: 58 girls, two toilets, no water.

  • Renumakulapalle High School: 40 girls, one toilet, no water.

  • Gopidinne High School: 60 girls, two toilets, both not working.

  • Kosuvaripalle High School: 53 girls, one toilet, no water.

More such grim stuff in Kalpana Sharma's column in The Hindu.

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