In an interesting instance, the Madhya Pradesh government has suspended two government school teachers--one for defecating in the open while holding another responsible for his wife not using toilet at their house in a village in Ashoknagar district.
The District Education Officer issued separate suspension orders on Monday, stating the act of reliving in the open amounted to misconduct and the violation of the government's directives.
While one Assistant Teacher is posted at the primary school in Rawsar village another Assistant Teacher at the primary school in Budera village in the district.
More From This Section
As per the order, family members of the teachers were not abiding by the government's directives regarding Swachh Bharat Mission, "which amounts to misconduct and violation of the government's directives".
Mishra said the action was taken after workers of Swachh Bharat Mission found the assistant teacher, a resident of Budera village, defecating in the open and submitted a report to the district collector.
"In accordance with the directives of the district collector, the education department has suspended both the assistant teachers for open defecation with immediate effect," he added.
Under Swachh Bharat Mission, teachers are entrusted with the task of keeping a watch on people who relive themselves in the open.
"On the contrary, the teachers or their family members were themselves found defecating in the open despite having a toilet at their home," he said.
In June this year, the panchayat officials in Virpur village in Raisen district had imposed a fine of nearly Rs 4 lakh on 13 families for not using toilets.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content