Imagine the case of a 15-year-old girl who has to go through the process of open defecation. This is the plight of a majority of families in Karnataka. According to the Unicef in 2015, only 4.7 pc gram panchayats in the state are open-defecation free.
Even though 50 pc of the population in Karnataka has access to toilets, this problem persists due to lack of awareness. It took 3 days of hunger strike for Mallamma Bagalapur to help her family realise the need for a toilet in their home. Studying in class 10 in Koppal (around 350 kms from Bengaluru), Mallamma thanks her school for educating her about the importance of a toilet.
She helped her family literally flush out their perception that "toilet is only for the rich". While Mallamma was on a strike in July, Koppal zilla panchayat CEO R Ramachandran visited the spot and promised the family to clear both the issues - space and funds.
With government's subsidy of Rs 1500 for dalit families, Mallamma's long-term dream transformed into reality within a week. This young girl has now become a role model to all in the rural sections of the country... to the extent that she holds a prominent place even in the PM's 'mann'. No wonder, Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, quoted her in his 'Mann Ki Baat' today.
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