PEELIKKODE PANCHAYAT: CONSTRUCTING TOILETS FOR 2020 HOUSES WITH PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION
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| Peelikkode Panchayat, Kasargod |
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Even before People’s Plan had begun to uncork the effervescent energy of the local men and women, Peelikkode, a remote Panchayat in Kasargod had shown the way how development work ought to be done. Their effort at total sanitation is a case in point.
The preliminary survey for the work itself attracted 1100 volunteers including women. Later the Panchayat was able to construct toilets for 2020 households at a total cost of Rs.1.25 crores. And for cleaning the drains, they were able to line up 3000 persons on a single day.
The strength of the Panchayat is the ‘ayalkoottam’ comprising of 40-50 houses. There are 91 such neighbourhood groups in the Panchayat. Each group has a chairman and a convenor. And one of the posts is reserved for women.
Completion of 6 checkdams and 4 canals enabled the paddy cultivators of the panchayat to go in for a 2nd crop and even a 3rd crop of vegetables. And from 15 acre vegetable cultivation they were able to generate 191 tons of produce.
As impressive as the achievements of the Panchayat are the methods employed to achieve them. All projects in People’s Plan were carried out with local participation. On completion of a scheme, the detailed accounts were printed and circulated among the stakeholders. Often, because of people’s participation, the works could be completed at less than the estimated cost. If a pond renovation was estimated by the Irrigation Department to cost Rs.4 lakhs, the actual work could be completed with just 1 lakh. Though for the maintenance work of the pond at Varakkod paddy fields, the sanctioned amount was Rs.2.5 lakhs, works worth Rs.5 lakhs were carried out there, thanks to inputs from the beneficiaries.
Foods processing unit and electronic training centre for women are some of the other worthy achievements of the resourceful people here.
Peelikkode at work
Courtesy: T.K.Sunil Kumar, Karshakashree, August 1999
Contributed by: Administrator
