Sanitation in India

The problem is lingering even after six decades of existence as a democratic republic.   It is indeed very intriguing that no comprehensive effort to solve it is visible.  The gigantic and multi-dimensional problem requires nothing short of a mission mode approach.

First of all let us recognize that it is more pressing in rural habitat than in urban areas. Hence the solution should start from rural areas. Success in Rural areas will reduce consequently the size of the problem.   It is common sense that the solution has to be multi-faceted.  It should be devised by a combined team of Public health engineers,  Land Utilization specialists, Planning Commission,  Panchayat raj institutions at the minimum. 

Use Geographical Information system Software, GIS, ware.  Train young just High School pass people in its use.  Also train masons of both genders in the building construction of such toilets.  Panchayats should give them contracts.

This idea has been implemented in a few Panchayats in Kerala and a sizable number of toilets in homes and public places have been constructed. 

I have had the oversight of such activity.

Planning Commission of India should set up a Sanitation Mission, let us say, in the name of Acharya Vinoba Bhave who initiated the revolutionary Bhoodan movement. Planning Commission should allocate initially a substantial initial amount of say, Rs. Ten Thousand Crores from which Panchayati Raj institutions can draw funds for building toilets in toilet-less households.  The Mission should reimburse fully the cost of building the toilets.  

Public health engineers should design say six optional models of toilets to suite the house and the terrain, in order to facilitate water supply, solid and liquid waste disposal, drainage. 

Incentive should be the award of the prestigious “Clean Village” title.   State  Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies may be allocated substantial financial incentives for rearing girl children, higher education, village roads.

Educational videos about use and upkeep of toilets

should be widely disseminated.

Waste disposal in Rural areas does not require further research.  All it it requires is determination by all concerned, like Public Health Engineers, Panchayati Raj institutions.

Approach to solve this problem in Urban areas has to be different, where the issues are different.

Related Issues are: 

1. Abolition of Scavenging,

2. Public Toilets,

3. Upkeep of toilets,

4. Educating users