MUMBAI: The Indian woman made popular after she forced her husband to build a toilet in their home has been presented with a check for $10,000 by a campaign group to show their support. Anita Narre left husband Shivram's home in the state of Madhya Pradesh two days after their marriage in May last year. She returned 8 days later after Shivram, a casual laborer, built one with his savings and neighbors' help. Last week, the Indian census revealed that more Indians own mobile phones than have toilets in their homes. The reward was given to Anita by Sulabh International, a non-governmental organization that promotes sanitation, for her “bold decision” to stand up for her dignity. The check was presented to Anita by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. Her stand has led to more toilets being built in her village of Ratanpur, says the Hindu newspaper. Out of 157 houses in the village, 100 have built toilets since her protest. Anita gave credit to her husband because “he accepted my demand.” The couple are expecting their first child in June. More than half-a-billion Indians still lack access to basic sanitation. The problem is acute in rural India and it is the women who suffer most. According to figures in the latest Indian census, only 46.9 percent of the 246.6 million households have lavatories while 49.8 percent defecate in the open. The remaining 3.2 percent use public toilets. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/9i4Hp Tags: Campaign, India, Narre, Protest, Toilet Section: Health, Latest News, South Asia, Women
