Tribal village in West Bengal's Birbhum lacks toilet facilities; Mamata pays visit, assures aid

By Syeda Shabana Parveen
Birbhum (West Bengal) [India], December 30 : Locals of Ballabpur Danga village in West Bengal's Birbhum district said that their village lacks basic facilities like toilets and clean water. However, they are now hopeful that things might change as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the village recently and promised development.
The tribal village of Ballabpur Danga is home to 150-odd families.
Tulsi Soren, one of the locals said that she feels insecure in the absence of proper toilet facilities.
"We feel insecure as we don't have proper toilet facilities. We have to defecate in an open area. Even we have to bathe openly in a pond as the water connection facility is not available," Soren told ANI.
Tulsi further said that the locals raised problems with Banerjee during her visit. The woman added that the Chief Minister has assured them that toilets will be made available to them as soon as possible.
"CM Mamata Banerjee had visited Ballabpur Danga village and we have complained to her about the lack of facilities in our village. She assured us that the facilities of the toilet will be made available to us as early as possible. We are hopeful," she added.
Another local Sarmoni Soren said: "When there are claims about development, it is a matter of concern that our village has no proper toilets. It is quite shameful for the girls to defecate in the open."
The Chief Minister had gone to Birbhum on December 28 days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's rally. Shah had recently visited West Bengal for two days.