Pune: Contributing to Swach Bharat Abhiyan, an effort of Central government towards making India an open defection free country, a man from Pune found a unique way to build toilets out of thermocol.

The toilets, which are ready in two hours, actually was an innovation by accident. The man behind it, Ramdas Mane, said, “I was led to the discovery of thermocol toilets accidently. During my visit to a village, which had participated in Sant Gadgebaba Gram Swachata Abhiyan, they told me to make 20 toilets in their houses so that they can win the donation amount of Rs 25 lakh. However, they could build only 18 toilets within the given deadline. During this mission, the thermocol kept in my factory gave me the idea of building toilets with the material.

The founder of Ramdas Mane’s Company build a toilet with two-ingredients, thermocol and cement. “We started building these toilets in 2007 and all these toilets are tested and are strong, durable for the use. You can use it for 100 years and they can also be shifted easily from one place to another,” said Mane. 
He further added that the toilets can also be given as gifts in weddings to village girls, who cannot afford to build a toilet in their houses. “Till now, we have gifted toilets to 25 poor girls and also supplied over 22,000 toilets all over the country. Our business is run on no loss and no profit basis,” said Mane.
Mane has also received many awards from different organisations and government for his innovation. 

Mane has also been awarded the India CSR’s with Sanitation leadership award 2016. 

In 2017, Mane found himself entered in the Limca Book of Records and also has received many awards from foreign countries including Australia and Uruguay.

Mane belonged to a poor family in Satara district but today has hundreds of workers who are working under him. Initially, ‘Mane Group of Companies’ dealt with building thermocol machines.