In rural Villages of Tamilnadu open defecation is a common practise and the 5 villages chosen for are not an exceptional one. In these 5 villages, only 2-5% of the households have toilet facilities. It is important to sensitize people on the importance of safe disposal of human excreta.

During the preliminary survey conducted, it was expressed by the participants in one of the villages that during rainy season they face more difficulties due to open defecation -they have to travel long distance and cross the river for defecation and also spread of diseases due to contamination of water.

The present situation is not favorable to the girls and women in these 5 villages to perform the day-to-day defecation and to urinate in a safe and private place. Similarly due to contaminated drinking water, particularly, during rainy seasons has resulted in the spread of diarrohea, dysentry, etc.,

In conventional flush out toilets, it requires large quantity of water for flushing and for transporting the excreta into a septic tank. Moreover, the septic tanks are emptied into the nearby water bodies and thereby resulting in the contamination of the water resources. In the ECOSAN toilets, the night soil is composted and disposed of as manure to enrich the soil.

Since the selected 5 villages are located in the coastal belt wherein the shallow water table will be contaminated, particularly during the rainy season, and the construction of ECOSAN toilet will be the only solution in these coastal villages.

Also, the beneficiaries will be introduced with the Siphon water filters to ensure safe drinking water. This Water Filter of cheap cost is being manufactured by Basic Water Needs India Pvt Ltd, Auroville and is being effectively utilised in the Schools and funded under PWX.

Awareness meetings will be conducted intensively for the women SHG members in which the benefits of ECOSAN toilets will be explained. Video films on importance of safe drinking water, Sanitation and ECOSAN toilets will be projected in these five villages.

Separate Trainings will be organised for the masons and the beneficiaries followed by exposure visits to the existing ECOSAN toilets in Kazhanivasal Village, Sethubavachatram block under the PWX project.

The women beneficiaries will be arranged for the loan towards their contribution from their group for the construction of the ECOSAN toilets.

In one Phase

The beneficiaries will be selected in consultation with the village panchayath, women SHGs and village leaders. The ECOSAN toilets will be constructed for individual households in their owned area. Further, the participants contribute nearly 15% towards the construction of toilet and for the water filter.

The project is to be implemented involving the women SHG members who were associated with this NGO since 2001 and with their support this project will be implemented in a participatory way by involving them in all aspects of this project – planning, execution and monitoring.

The women have voluntarily opted to contribute Rs. 3000 per toilet towards their contribution.

Hence, the ownership of the assets created under this project will be with the community members.

The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) will be involved in the implementation of the project. The DRDA will be approached to obtain the subsidy component of Rs. 2300 per toilet.

Atleast 5 masons will be trained in the construction of ECOSAN toilets.

Awareness camps in Schools will be conducted on the importance of Ecological Sanitation and Safe Drinking water.