Toilet would have saved kid: Dad
He lost his daughter due to open-defecation
Saloni Grace, the third child of the four children of the couple Balu Solanki and Sahaja Solanki, was one among the 30-member group that live on the roadside under huts and habituated to open-defecation.
Saloni was from the third generation of her family, who have migrated to the city eking livelihood. Her father, grandfather all are into pottery. They live by the roadside erecting huts and live in groups.
Saloni’s maternal uncle, 28-year-old Babu Rao said, “My father along with few relatives had migrated to the city. I was born in this city. We cannot go to any other place and have to live on the roads to fill out stomachs. We do not have the luxury to have toilets near our huts, as they are not our permanent houses. All of us, over 30 people, go for open-defecation.”
“I, Babu Rao and few others have been to a nearby hotel to have tea. My daughter was on her routine to attend the nature’s call, and it is at the open place near Dulux company. She was crossing the road when the minibus hit her. I was just a minute away for the mishap. If I was returning early from the hotel, I could have saved my daughter,” said Balu Solanki, the girl’s father.
Responding to a query, they said they have got voter identification cards and Aadhaar cards, but they could not get the toilets at their homes.
“We managed to get the identification cards using the electricity bills of known persons, and even cast vote during the previous general elections. As our huts on the roadside are temporary, we cannot build the toilets as it is not our place,” said Balu Solanki.
Saloni, the third child of Balu was not attending the school, as she does not have an Aadhaar card on her name, and also her younger brother’s name. Balu has four children, two daughters, and two sons, while two among them have Aadhaar card and were admitted to a nearby private school.
“Saloni and Ajay, 3, do not have Aadhaar cards, so we could not admit them at any school, while the first child Laxman, 8, and Vaishali, 7, are attending the school,” said Balu.