The Times of India             19.11.2013

Baby toilets distributed to avoid open defecation

TRICHY: If habits die hard, then good habits must be inculcated in kids from impressionable ages. This was the thinking behind the distribution of baby toilets made of plastic to 65 people in the first phase of the scheme, said Trichy Corporation mayor A Jaya.

Distributing the baby toilets to the parents at the corporation office, Jaya said this was part of the government's commitment to make the state open defecation-free by 2015. In the rural areas, the government was implementing a host of measures to underline hygiene education for effective behaviour change under the total sanitation campaign (TSC), but it was the first time baby toilets were distributed in the city.

"In the corporation and municipal limits, as many as 30% of the people still defecate in the open and at the least the children from the stage of infants must be taught against defecating in the open. Hence, the scheme is introduced by the state government," said V P Thandapani, corporation commissioner.

Known as 'mini-toilets' the portable plastic pieces would be provided in higher number to cover all those who needed them, said Dhandapani. "This is to inculcate the habit of using the toilets at home, so that they do not think of defecating in the open," he explained. Research proves that the children could be brought to such a good habit within a matter of a week, he further said.