18th Jan 2013
By Gaurav Kashyap
What
is sanitation?
Sanitation
is broad term refer to disposal and management of solid waste, waste water
human and cattle excreta etc. In such a way that is does not affect adversely
domestic personal hygiene. Sanitation is very important for human health. It
contribute to clean and improved environment, social development and generate
significant economic benefits. In India 736 million [71.7%] people out of total
population of 1027 million lack basic sanitation facilities which results in
high mortality and morbidity. In Developing countries, 80% of the diseases
cause by is human excreta. 50 types of infections can e transmitted from
disease persons to healthy ones by various direct and indirect roots from human
excreta. Human excreta are the most hated object and anything connected with
the latrine is considered so defiling that in India in the past. It is
untouched from the past because of religious taboos.
Sanitation
has, however been seen as a matter of individual understanding and initiative
rather than a collective responsibility of the community.
In this fast changing world, Investment in
sanitation is given very low priority.
“Instead of open defecation, Toilets are their
Birth Right.” India is home to 638 million people defecating in the open.
People have everything in their Home from TV set to Mobile Phones, but they
don’t have Toilet Facilities!
"Investment In Sanitation is Investment In
Development "Open Defecation
is an ugly reminder of the country’s poverty and the failure of the Government
to provide adequate Safe water & sanitation facilities .There is
urgent need from philanthropist and government and non-government agencies to
must invest in safe drinking water and sanitation facilities . For every $1
spent on sanitation at least $9 is saved in health ,education and economic
development ,Tackling the problem of inadequate sanitation not only require
building infrastructure but creating awareness of the issue .For holistic
development of the society we must invest in safe drinking water and sanitation
facilities .
Investment in sanitation is as important as
investment in other economic activities.
Government is putting huge investment in those
project which bring great benefits (in term of money ) for rich class, and very
less investment in sanitation , which affect major section of Indian society
who are SC &ST and lower Income Group.
Government spending on sanitation and drinking
water is very low. Government spending had declined from 0.59% of GDP in
2008-2009 to 0.54%in 2009-10, and further to 0.42% in 2010-2011.
According to the World Bank Study, and proper
sanitation facilities cost India Nearly $54Billion in a Year. Which result in
high spreading of disease, low production, and low social and economic development?
A UN study in 2010 says, In India more people
are access to mobile phone than to a Toilets. In India around 894 million
(approx.) are mobile subscriber. But Just
366 Million people had access to proper sanitation facilities .A Recent
Report of UNICEF says 638 m, people (54%) defecate in the open in India ,7% in brazil and
Bangladesh In India ,only 6% children in rural areas who were below five year
used toilets . Only 50% of all Indian regularly wash their hands with soap
after contact with excreta.
Union Minister Shree Jairam Ramesh has called
for making India “An Open Defecation Free Country by 2017”.Our Population will
not going to be a healthy if we do not have sanitation and safe drinking water facilities,
To see our population as healthy we need to invest in sanitation and water.
Total sanitation campaign launched in
2003-2004. It is implemented as a community led and people – centric approach
to generate effective demand for sanitation facilities through creating
awareness among village communites, educating them and providing all required
information that can help them to avail government schemes.
In our Sanitation campaign we need active
participation of all section of society, including, SC,ST and women. Encourage
women and girls to actively participate in the sanitation programme.
The Nirmal Gram Puraskar incentive scheme has
been launched to encourage panchayati raj institution to attain a 100% open
defecation – free environment .Sikkim has become the first state to receive the
award .Our task should not only confined to construction of Toilets but also
ensure that they are in working condition , keeping clean and maintain properly
. and for all this we need a Behavioural change .Government of India first
socio-economic census and comprehensive population survey 2011,reveals
development on certain basic amenities to sustain human life .only 17.9% rural
households have access to treated source
of tap water as against 62.0% urban households. Only 30.7% rural households
have latrine facilities as compared to 81.4% urban households.63.2% rural
households have toilets with no drainage as against meagre 18.2% urban
households .According to census 2011,at national level only 32.7% households
have toilets facilities . The states
with households more than national average include kerala 94.40%,goa 72.6%,
Punjab 71.9%, himachal 67.5% Haryana 57.7%.whereas the states households below
national average include ,Jharkhand 8.3% ,Madhya Pradesh 13.6%, odisha 15.3%, bihar 18%, uttar Pradesh
22.9%.
There is an urgent need to bring a change in
the behaviour of the people , people may agree to use toilet , but , it is
challenging task to change to new habit ,where for generation they have been
used to open defecation .
Poor sanitation facilities are serious problem
for our country , reason are ,traditional and cultural reason , lack of
education , SC,ST and lower income group are not aware of the importance of
sanitation for better health and clean environment, low sanitation coverage due
to inadequate and lack of efforts to create awareness among rural households
,lack of motivation to have toilets facilities , lack of affordable sanitation technology
and trained implementing agencies , non – availability of toilets , lack of
skilled man power.
There should be urgent demand for a nationwide
campaign to make people fully aware of the adverse effect of open defecation. a
massive campaign has to be launched
through all means of communication , to include school children ,youth
,girls, and women .they should know that they should not go barefoot for open
defecation, always cover the human excreta with soil to prevent flies sitting
on excreta.
There should be a compulsory subject on
sanitation and water in the primary school.
To teach student about the sanitation, clean water, and hygiene
practices.
Our main objective is to create a society
where people get safe hygiene toilets, especially women. To save herself from
open defecation. We can get a healthy society only if we have safe drinking
water and hygiene sanitation facilities .Sanitation, society and health are
directly related to each other. We have to consider water and sanitation as one
sector rather than separate.
For construction of Toilets we need latest
technology which is environment friendly. , no uniform design of toilets should
be forced on user or beneficiaries. User of toilets should be free to select
design of her /his toilets.
NGO AND SANITATION
NGO play a vital role in the social ,economic
and political development of our country .NGO and Volunteer play important role
in door to door contact in creating awareness among people about sanitation and
water . NGO should have excellent expertise and good infrastructure to implement
their projects. Public toilets should be preferably constructed by NGO, who can
also be entrusted with the responsibility to maintain on a pay and use basis.
Most of the school in rural areas and urban
slums do not have proper toilets; especially toilets for girls are in very low number.
Girl feels ashamed to use common toilets. in rural areas girls have to go to
the field for relive themselves . Which is a big question mark for their
security? There is also increase drop –out rates particularly of girl student.
Individual donor, insurance companies,
corporate house, business community, private companies and NRIs etc. Can
consider providing toilets facilities.
Our environment is badly affected, Due to bad
sanitation facilities, rivers are polluted due to untreated sewage. Our ground
water also affected which results in deterioration of community health. Septic
tank system is also expensive and requires a large volume of water for flushing.
There is shortage of drinking water in almost all urban areas. “Water is precious,
we have to use it very judiciously “.
India as a Emerging economy have to resolve
the problem of open defecation and providing toilets facilities with piped
sewer system for disposal of human waste from long term perspective.
We need support form national and
international agencies and developed countries to provide their experience and
expertise.
You can reach to the author at gaurav@heeals.org
Connect with us and our work at www.heeals.org
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