Class VII girl stages hunger strike to convince parents to build toilet
- Puja Neelakanth was upset that her parents were unrelenting when she requested them to build a toilet
- She thought fasting was her way to bring pressure on her parents
- Puja was helped by the Kalaburagi ZP CEO who offered to help the girl in realising her dream
FollowUnable to put up with the shame of not having a toilet at her home, this class VII girl vowed to convince her unrelenting parents, and how! She went on a two-day fasting and her parents had no other option but to give in.
Meet Puja Neelakanth, a resident of Udagi village of Sedam taluk, who is living her dream now, reports The New Indian Express.
In fact, her fasting would have gone unnoticed, if she had not spoken to the Kalaburagi ZP Chief Executive Officer Hepsiba Rani Korlpati. The CEO was holding a radio-in programme for government schools on 'Sanitation in Kalaburagi' on September 22.
During the programme, Puja, who studies in the Government Primary School of Udagi village came on line and told the CEO that she had been on a fast to pressure her parents to build a toilet in their house. She also told Hepsiba that she would not break her fast until her parents agree to her demand.
The CEO moved by her conviction, asked the girl to give up her fast and offered to fast on behalf of her till her parents agreed. The CEO managed to convince her parents to build the toilet. But Puja was determined. She continued to fast. Puja's father is a driver and she told Express that "Though I requested my parents many times to construct a toilet, they ignored it."
Meanwhile, the Panchayat Development officer Omkar reportedy ensured that the construction materials reached the spot. According to the Express, Puja ended her fast on September 22 after the pit was dug for the construction of the toilet. Â
