Lady sarpanch from Odisha living and leading swachh mission 

JAGATSINGHPUR: Saheda Tabasum (29), sarpanch of Bidyadharpur in Raghunathpur block, is on a mission to make her panchayat the cleanest in Jagatsinghpur. Joining hands with Saheda are around 500 women of different self-help groups (SHGs). 

After assuming charge as sarpanch, Saheda took the pledge to make the panchayat with 12 wards the cleanest. The panchayat has 700 households and a population of 3,707. As part of the initiative, Saheda ensures that latrines are installed in every household and fines imposed on people who use open spaces for defecation. 

The women SHGs have played a major role in achieving open defecation-free status for Pungro village in the panchayat. The panchayat has 51 women SHGs with 570 members. All of them are convincing villagers to construct toilets in their houses and use them. 

Saheda said, “We have decided to provide toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission to each household. In the first phase, toilets will be provided to 320 beneficiaries.” This apart, Saheda has constructed a road from Mahadev temple to Badheishai with her own money for the benefit of locals. 

Block resource coordinator, Swachh Bharat Mission, Raghunathpur Isimita Biswal  said, “Her dedication towards development of panchayat with the help of local women is praiseworthy.”