Roads and schools have been built in Amethi, a politically significant constituency that will go to the polls in the fifth phase of Uttar Pradesh elections, but adequate attention does not seem to have been given to toilets with locals, including tribals, complaining about pending works.
Locals in Kadher, Kurmi ka Purwa, Gulori ka Purwa villages said they have toilets built by the panchayat under the government-run scheme but most of these are not functional forcing them to go for open defecation.
Just five kilometres away from Amethi bus stand, villages mostly inhibited by the tribals have access to proper roads and schools but the pressing problem is of toilets not working properly.
"Some of them do not have manholes, in others, there is no provision for the discharge of water," said Usha, a tribal who lives in Kadher village.
"The toilets have been built for last one year but we haven't used them yet. It neither has a manhole nor a drainage system," she said.
Karma, another woman from the same village, said the toilets and bathrooms do not have a water channel.
"There are toilet pots but we are not able to use them as they lack a drainage system. Some of the villagers have turned the toilet into a storeroom. Some of the toilets are in a dilapidated state," she said.
The entrance of Kadher village has a government-built public toilet but villagers are reluctant to use it as they have to pay for using it.
The locals in Gulori ka Purwa also complained of toilets not working properly.
Most of the locals are daily wagers working in the farms and fields. Sometimes they are not paid in cash but through foodgrains.
The villagers said the tube wells work fine and they get ration on time which has been a big help in conditions created by COVID-19.
Amethi district has four assembly seats of which BJP won three and Samajwadi Party one in the 2017 assembly polls.
( With inputs from ANI )
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