Class VIII Girl Launches Fast Unto Death Protesting Open Defecation

Bengaluru: A class VIII girl student in Chitradurga district of Karnataka state launched a fast unto death to bring about an awareness among people to do away with open defecation. She wants individual toilets to make the district ‘open-defecation free’ by the end of this year.

Lavanya, daughter of Chennakesava and Manjula of Hemadala village in Hiriyuru Taluka of Chitradurga district, is studying in class VIII at a local school. The girl says she resorted to take on fast unto death to ignite a strong motivation among people to construct individual toilets towards the eradication of open-defecation in the district.

Lavanya said, “I have taken up the fast unto death in order to bring awareness on the neccessity of toilets to eradicate open-defecation in the district. She reiterated the importance of having individual toilets in the premises of houses by reminding an instance of a pregnant woman’s death after she was killed by an elephant while she was out for defecation. She said, “The woman would have survived if she had had toilet at her house. I am moved by this incident and determined to stage fast unto death until the change comes in the society.”

The student said the funds for the individual toilets and the assistance from the central and state governments were not sufficient and it would be better if the government implement the scheme through the agencies.

The class VIII girl who is fasting with the a photo of Mahatma Gandhi, said that she had the support from her parents and she would not give up until she succeed. She also took out a foot march from Doddakoppalu, the native of DK Ravi who died in suspicious circumstances, on June 10. It will be interesting to see how many would get motivate for the cause.