With the introduction of modern toilets the lives of people of Rukha village in Wangdue Phodrang, one of the remote villages in the Dzongkhag, have improved significantly. The locals said they have better sanitation and hygiene compared to previous years.
Our reporter, Kuenzang Thinley, who visited the village recently said that of the 74 households, 16 households now have constructed toilet facilities.
In the past a very few households had pit toilets. Adha Gup, Khadu Dorji, said people in rural areas should change their behaviour and attitude towards sanitation and hygiene.
“The REAP project is organising to construct toilets in the villages to improve sanitation. If people do not pay attention to sanitation and hygiene, they are inviting sickness. In order to maintain hygiene we have started constructing toilets,” said Khandu Dorji, the Gup of Athang Gewog.
He added that there is no visibility of human faeces in and around their houses now. Some of the villagers said that the construction of toilets, nevertheless, remained a necessity in the village.
“In the past without proper toilet people have been using pit toilets or bushes. Now with the help of project we are constructing toilets,” said one of the residents. “If we have proper toilets even children can also use it properly and learn the importance of sanitation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the project supports with materials like CGI sheet, toilet pots, cement and other necessary materials for the construction and labours are contributed by the villagers themselves.
Rukha is around two days walk from the nearest road head.
