Kameshwaram:

Coastal village with the highest number of Ecosan toilets :

Kameshwaram, situated 20 Kms south of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu coast was hit by the Tsunami on Dec. 26th 2004. About 7,000 people had perished when the killer waves struck the villages in Nagapattinam district. Being a coastal area it was a highwater Table area and pit latrine was not suitable for the area.

With the support of the UNICEF, District Administration and the French NGO, FIN(Friends in Need) about 300 Ecosan toilets were built in the village. The residents came up with about Rs.1,500 as their own contribution for the toilets.

Toilet and Women Empowerment:

Mrs.Shanthi who was the first lady to build the Ecosan toilet promoted the toilet model in her village. In the Panchayat Election she was elected as a ward member and later she was elected Vice-President of the Kameshwaram Panchayat. Indeed Mrs.Shanthi is an example of women empowerment through Ecosan toilet message.

100 Participants for Beauty Contest:

SThe first toilet beauty contest in the country was held at Kameshwaram village 20 Kms south of Nagapattinam in July 2007 which one hundred ecosan toilet owners participated .This unique contest was organized by SCOPE(Society for community organization and peoples education),FIN (Friends-in-need) French NGO and DRDA Nagapattinam District.

Dr. Shayama.V.Ramani Promoter FIN and Economics Professor in France outlining the background of the unique contest said that toilets should not be considered as something which has to be tolerated. It was most essential for a healthy , happy, and hygienic life. The Tsunami hit residents of the village had very boldly accepted this revolutionary toilet model and Kameshwaram has emerged as the village maximum number of Ecosan toilet in the Indian coast. It was to highlight the importance of the toilet that the beauty contest was organized .

Mr. M.Subburaman director SCOPE explained the described ecosan toilet ad ideal model for Tsunami hit coastal sandy areas high water table areas as well as desert and rocky regions. SCOPE had constructed over 1000 ecosan toilets in the country and UNICEF had appointed SCOPE as Technical Consultant for ecosan toilet construction and dissemination of ecosan concept in all the States in the country.

Ecosan toilet beauty contest was based on the usage of the toilet by the family members, the interior and external decorations and raising kitchen garden near the toilet using the urine and wash water said Mr.V.Ganapathy Advisor Trichy District EXNORA. In each of the three category, cash awards of Rs.5,000, Rs. 2500, and Rs. 1000 were given. In addition all the 100 participants who had constructed the Ecosan toilet in the first phase were given prizes, stainless steel pots.

Mr.Subburaman released a CD "Shanthi Century Not Out' produced by Centre for Education & Documentation, Bangalore on the initiative taken by Mrs. Shanthi, vice president, Kameshwaram Panchayat in convincing the villagers to adopt ecosan.

Mr. C. G. Kanagasundaram, president of Kameshwaram Panchayat thanked UNICEF, DRDA and Fin for enxtending help for construction of the toilets.

Mrs. Saroja Paulraj, Mr. Nagappan, and Mrs. Vedavalli, won the first prize of Rs. 5,000 in three different categories.

Mr.P.Ramaraj Panchayat Union Commissioner appreciated the role played by NGOs in providing suitable sanitation models for Tsunami hits coastal areas and gave away the prizes.