Lahan: Over 4,000 households in Lahan municipality lack access to toilet facilities, posing a significant threat to health and sanitation, according to a recent survey conducted by the municipality itself. Despite numerous projects and initiatives by government and non-governmental organizations aimed at improving health and sanitation in Madhes Province, the survey revealed that 4,200 households in Lahan, Siraha district, remain without toilets.
According to National News Agency Nepal, of the total 24,700 houses in the municipality, 17 percent lack access to toilets. This alarming statistic was highlighted by Municipality Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary during a press conference. The mayor expressed concern that such a substantial number of households are deprived of this basic necessity and emphasized the urgent need to address the situation by reaching out to every household.
The situation is particularly troubling as Lahan municipality was declared an open defecation-free zone in 2017. However, communitie
s including Dalit, landless, poor, and disaster-prone settlements continue to practice open defecation. The preliminary analysis by the local level attributes this ongoing issue to the absence of a fecal sludge management center and a lack of clean water. Many previously constructed toilets have become unusable and remain unrepaired.
To address these challenges, the municipality plans to identify suitable locations for toilet construction for landless individuals. There is also the possibility of relocating landless squatter settlements to improve sanitation facilities. The municipality aims to mobilize people’s representatives, social activists, community associations, schools, and youth groups over the next three months to encourage households to recognize the importance of toilets.
Mayor Chaudhary emphasized that toilets are not only essential for defecation but also symbolize health and dignity. He stressed that the success of the sanitation drive depends on active participation from the community.
Mea
nwhile, as World Toilet Day approaches on November 19, it serves as a reminder of the global sanitation crisis, with 3.4 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation.