Hindustan Zinc to build 30,000 toilets in rural Rajasthan

Hindustan Zinc, a Sesa Sterlite company in zinc-lead-silver business, today said it has inked a pact with Rajasthan government to build 30,000 rural toilets for families below poverty line under 'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan'.
"The construction of these toilets will be completed in 3 years. This initiative will make 80 rural and tribal villages in Rajasthan 'Open Defecation Free'," the company said in a statement.
It said it has started the construction of these toilets in Bhilwara, Chittorgarh and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan and so far construction of 8,000 toilets has been completed.
These newly constructed toilets will minimise the risk of contamination of drinking water sources thus reducing the health related problems in rural India.

"Under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, cost of construction of each toilet is Rs 8,500, where Rs 4,600 per toilet is being paid by government, Rs 3,000 by Hindustan Zinc and Rs 900 by the beneficiary.
The project will result in not only safety of women during late hours as they will not have to go out but will also improve good hygiene practises and create awareness towards health & sanitation.
"This project of constructing toilets has been undertaken by Hindustan Zinc with an objective to provide clean and hygienic house-hold toilets to the BPL families and discourage and eventually eliminate open defecation practices in the villages. Hindustan Zinc would be spending about Rs. 8.6 crore towards construction of these 30,000 toilets," said, Head, Corporate Communication, Hindustan Zinc, Pavan Kaushik.

According to a UNICEF report, at present only 48 per cent of rural Indian population has access to good toilet and sanitation facilities.