Patna: Diwali came in advance for the women in Karnpurna Panchayat of Bihar’s Gopalganj district as they celebrated the construction of toilets in their homes on Tuesday in presence of officials.
They burst crackers and performed Puja (offered prayers) in front of their newly constructed toilets, named as Izzat Ghar (House of dignity), terming it a very important step in maintaining women’s dignity and security.
Just a few days ago, 35 kilometres from Bihar’s capital Patna, a woman was raped when she stepped out to relieve herself in Baliyawan village.
Gopalganj District Magistrate Rahul Kumar arrived on his bicycle as women queued up on both sides of the road with lit Diyas in their hands. He hailed the spirit of the women who worked tirelessly to meet the target of constructing toilets before Diwali.
A woman Manju told News18 that she lived in a grand two-storied house but it did not have any toilets. That, though, is a thing of the past now. “My husband works in Dubai and I, before marrying him, thought there would be a toilet in his house as he spent quite an amount building the house. However, it was a surprise for me as I found no toilets attached to the house when I stepped in for the first time.”
The panchayat is headed by a woman, Mala Devi, who took a special interest in the toilet-building drive and exuded confidence that nearby panchayats too would join the initiative.
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