Perungudi school set to become the first in city to get eco-friendly toilets

Sanitation First UK that operates in India by the name ‘Wherever the Need India Services’ has begun the works in the school and is expected to complete in a month. Talking to DT Next, Padmapriya TS, Chief Executive – India, Sanitation First, said that as many as 35 schools – government, government aided and trustrun schools – have been identified as of now for the project. The facility was being rolled out first at the school in Perungudi, with the completion date set for May 15. 

The school in Perungudi has 559 kids on rolls in middle and high school sections, with 30 staff. The students hail from families that settled around the area during the IT boom, when they migrated to work as construction labourers. With no toilets at home and inadequate facilities in the school, sources said that male students had to defecate in the Perungudi lake or the Kalkuttai, while the girls had to find a suitable local toilet. They also added that the absence of piped water had made them turn to borewell water to meet their needs. 

Because of its proximity to a water body, the school faces hardships during rainy days. The septic tanks overflow and the waste spills over to the playground, casting serious doubts over the hygiene and safety of the students. Girls skip school during their periods and the students also contract water-related illnesses during rains. 

“EcoSan considers human excreta as a resource and not a waste to be disposed of as far away as possible,” said Padmapriya. 

The toilet connects twin pits to a chamber below into which the human excreta is buried with ash, sand, soil or saw dust and covered with a lid. “Every six months, the chamber below is opened and the compost from one of the pits that is filled is removed, while the other pit is used. The compost can be used to maintain the greenery around. Water comes into the picture only for the user to clean themselves,” she explained. 

The solution would offer many adequate toilet facilities, apart from protecting the environment and preventing contamination of water bodies due to open defecation – a persistent problem. “A survey of schools brought to light the deplorable condition of toilets in the schools. We have two other schools in Manali, where the work will begin soon, and corporates are also being roped into fund the project,” she added. 

The Perungudi school is being funded by Chennai Willingdon Corporate Foundation and five schools around Manali by AM Foundation.

The students and teachers will be trained adequately to use the toilets and maintain them. 

Keeping in mind the UNICEF, WHO guidelines, the sanitary block in the school will comprise 10 toilets for girls and six urinals and two toilets for boys, along with twin composting chambers, a collection tank for urine, and an incinerator for safe disposal of sanitary pads.

With Dr Shanmuga Paramasivan as Country Director,  EcoSan has already become a success story in districts like Cuddalore. A case study of a school in Madhuranthaganallur has shown a tremendous shift in hygiene practices not just in the school but also in the community, in 2005.