Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Sasaram : Motivated by the ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ at her school, a seven year old girl Sonam Kumari demanded of her parents to a build lavatory their house and when they delayed it on one pretext or the other, she observed fast for three days and forced them to concede her demand.
Sonam Kumari, daughter of Murali Paswan and Vimla Paswan of village Semara in Manpur panchayat under Bikramganj block in Rohtas district, recently confined herself in a room of her house for three days and did not open the door of the room till her parents promised to build a lavatory at their house. Later, her mother mortgage her ear- rings and some other ornaments meant for her elder sister’s marriage and also borrowed some money from one Ajay Paswan of village Jogaya and the couple constructed a lavatory. The construction of lavatory was March 19, 2017.
Murali Paswan and Vimala Paswan have five daughters and a son and they work in the field for livelihood. Sonam Kumari is their third issue. Rohtas district administration has launched a campaign to make the district Open Defecation Free (ODF) and even school children talk about it. Sonam also pressurized her parents to build a lavatory at their house but her parents were reluctant due to financial reasons.
Block Development Officer (BDO), Bikramganj, Shashikant Sharma said that he came to know about Sonam Kumari of village Semara from other persons and after thorough verification, all possible help will be extended to her.