Tamil Nadu's scorecard for the decade is well ahead of the national average
Tamil Nadu, acknowledged widely as one of the progressive States, has lived up to this image through its enhanced performance, over the last 10 years, in most of development parameters except sanitation.
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Be it the use of electricity or tapped water supply or telephone connections or possession of two wheelers, the State's scorecard for the decade is well ahead of the national average. But, in respect of sanitation, its performance is not very impressive. In fact, in the case of open defecation, while the national average was 49.8 per cent, the State's figure was 45.7 per cent, according to the Houselisting and Housing Census Data 2011 released by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner a few days ago. In 2001, electricity was the source of lighting for 71.2 per cent of rural households and 88 per cent of urban households. Ten years later, the coverage was 90.8 per cent in the rural areas and 96.1 per cent in urban.
Likewise, the use of kerosene for lighting went down very sharply throughout the State. In 2001, 28.2 per cent of rural homes and 11.1 per cent of urban homes were dependent on this fuel for lighting. Now, the figures are 8.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent respectively.
Take the case of tap water supply. Thanks to the emphasis on drinking water supply projects by successive governments in the last 10 years or so, the coverage of households under tap water supply went up from 60.5 per cent to 79.3 per cent in rural areas and 65.4 per cent to 80.3 per cent in urban areas during 2001-2011. The increased coverage of households led to less and less people using hand pumps/tube wells over the decade. Compared to 24.8 per cent in rural areas and 20.5 per cent in urban areas, the present figures are 12.9 per cent and 12.6 per cent.
One can go on with the positive side of the State's development but in certain areas such as sanitation, Tamil Nadu's performance is not something that one can boast of. In rural areas, 73.3 per cent of households are still resorting to open defecation while the figure is 16.2 per cent in urban areas. The overall coverage of piped sewerage remained low with 14.4 per cent. In urban areas, 27.4 per cent of the households are dependent on the sewerage and 37.9 per cent on septic tanks. The figures under the two sub-parameters for rural areas were 2.2 per cent and 14.4 per cent.
Social indicators
In the case of a social indicator – presence of married couples in households, the State follows the nationwide pattern. About 74 per cent of the total households had one married couple and 10 per cent only had two married couples. As for another indicator – household size, four-member households accounted for 30.8 per cent; three-member households - 19 per cent and five-member households 17.7 per cent. The numbers indicate that nuclear families have come to dominate the household scene, with joint families becoming a thing of the past.
a. Let us congratulate ourselves as Tamils for the victories we have thus far won. Kindly realize that changes have a rhythm, governing them. We don't iconoclastically break up and remold a mindset overnight. b. Further, we need to provide a proactive edcation on "toilet training" to everyone. Tamils do learn quite fast when they take a flight to Singapore, US and elsewhere, seeking employment. c. A change of mindset is a must. On occasion we are so private about our tiffin-carrier and its contents, and not what we do after consuming the contents in the carrier. d. Let us welcome all our temples, mosques and churches in Tamilnadu and use them as NGOs to educate on this single value; be it Thiruthani, Thiruppathi, Nagoor or Vailankanni. Places of worship ought not to be private visitation centers of the deity and their devotees; they also play a crucial social role in enhancing the total fabric of the soceity. Come on Folks, let us make our Tamilnadu a great place on earth!
//In 2001, electricity was the source of lighting for 71.2 per cent of rural households and 88 per cent of urban households. Ten years later, the coverage was 90.8 per cent in the rural areas and 96.1 per cent in urban.//
I never thought The Hindu could deliver news laced with a lot of humour. Especially at a time when the major political parties are at each other's throats on power crisis in the state.
It is not the fault of TN government, that isn't helping the people in building toilets for them. Govt has allotted lots of fund to built
toilets in their home and even build toilets to them in general. It is
people's mindset that they are not using toilets. Many of the toilets
has been build and useless in many villages because it have not been
used. People has to come forward to use the toilets
Get the so-called influential people in TN like Jayalalitha, Karuna, Rajnikant, Vijaykant and all the other Dravidans take up this issue and ask their fellow-tamilians to change culture and impress on them the need for sanitation. All schools should introduce mandatory courses in civic sense starting LKG to 12th. standard. Every movie made must have mandatory public service messages during the movie by the main actors...
BTW, the attached PDF flie is broken. It cannot be opened.
These scores are interestng. We must compare them with another set of figures such
as alcohol intake, heart disease, diabetes, life expectancy, etc. to understand the real
progress.
I take this opportunity to express my personal views.
I am from Chennai. Chennai and its residents have some excellent values of hospitality and tolerance.
It has shown that it has the capability to move the state economically upwards.
But from this article we have also seen how it is lacking in some areas especially sanitation.
So I would hope that there will be many programs to mitigate these problems
But there is also one thing I would like to see in the state, and that is finesse. It is deparately lacking in class for the common man.
With progress we should add a touch of class to all its residents
I believe it is possible
Open defecation is an obnoxious. I am sure with strong leadership in
place and when it make it mind it will surely be able to eradicate
this despicable habit.
"nuclear families have come to dominate the household scene, with
joint families becoming a thing of the past." Though for practical
reasons conventional joint family do not live under the same roof,
the fact of the symbiotic relationship between the family members
still continue to be very dominant.
Shocking news. 46% open defacation. Instead of distributing free TVs, Sarees, Laptops, Cycles Govt. should immediately on priority encourage and help the people to have toilets and a provision should be made for fine/imprisonment for open urination/defacation. TN cannot be called as a developed State unless and until it eradicates the practice of open defacation. Slums and open defacation is cancerous spots of TN society. Hope TN Govt. immediately draws up plans for eradication of open defacation.
We need to change the people mindset which is a heavenly task. Though there are public toilets, people prefer going outdoors. The big irony is that in villages, I have seen people who use outdoors even if they have Toilets at home. When I accosted some people and asked about their act, they said they are not ladies who need to be protective while using outdoors!!!!!! The only way the Govt can prevent this is by slapping fine on them or punishing them by making them clean the public toilets. But the result would be that the Govt will not get a single seat in the next elections. Thats the pity. We dont see who tries to do good things to the country/state but we see how an individual is getting affected whether it is good or bad.
We do not respect the earth as a God; we find it very convenient to go for cleaning our bowels in the open because the rushing air clears the smells away. There is no need to get more and more water to pour into the cubicle. In Tamilnadu, where the Central Govt has awarded for "Cent percent Toilets built" villages, the practice of open defecation is still continuing. Even Panchyat Presidents, ward members, party cadres are all using open areas for relieving themselves in India.
The generation of the present failed to understand the more pluses of the joint family. By
living in a joint family makes people more patient, sharing, less ego, understanding other
people, exchange of various problems and getting solutions, etc., Mostly in nuclear families,
both the spouses go to work, get stressed out and if they have a child they are not able to
give quality time to them. In some cases, due them getting stressed out and with ego, they
tend to lose their cool and that too in the presence of their only child. May God bless them
all.
Though we applaude Tamilnadu for its achievment in many fields, defecation in open cannot be acceptable in civilized society.The freebees to be reduced as there are no mechanism prevailing that it reaches really the needy.More toilets to be built and maintain hygene by government agencies.As we run wine shops nothing wrong to run toilets.Poors cannot be blamed to defecate in public but it is responsibility of the government to make their life healthy.Mere providing insurance policy only attract vote not health.
D.S.SoundaraRajan,CH-95.
Well done! A slap, sorry, a pat on the back of Tamilnad on this great achievement. Bad days are ahead as intelligent brains are not joining the govt. establishments for the past one decade to render better service and administration. At best AP and TN in south can be called sinking and stinking ships where money gluttony and BPL population is on increase.
Well done! A slap, sorry, a pat on the back of Tamilnad on this great achievement. Bad days are ahead as intelligent brains are not joining the govt. establishments for the past one decadeto render better service and administration. At best AP and TN in south can be called sinking and stinking ships where money gluttony and BPL population is on increase. God can only save these people!
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