India’s performance in sanitation sector is not very encouraging. The report of the Joint Monitoring Programme 2015 of the UN, shows that about 50% of open defecators of the world are from India and 10% of the urban Indian population practise open defecation (OD). Given India’s recent push for Smart Cities, it is imperative to have a framework to deal with urbanization through the goals of Social equitability, Economic viability and Environmental sustainability.
The urban centres face a number of sanitation related issues and challenges. Take the recent initiative of the central government. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), a number of initiatives are being taken up to make the respective areas open defecation free (ODF). Resources being pooled in for the Mission include budgetary allocations to Swachh Bharat Mission (Centre and State); commitments under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); contributions to Swachh Bharat Kosh; assistance (both technical and financial) from multilateral and external sources; grants devolved to Local Bodies by the Fourteenth Finance Commission; and the recently imposed Swachh Bharat cess on certain taxable services at the rate of 0.5% on the value of such taxable services.
In spite of these steps, the success of an ODF programme will be measured by increased toilet usage rather than toilet construction alone. The patterns of toilet usage and sanitation behavior show that social, cultural and allied factors connected with the sanitation chain play an important role in shaping this behaviour rather than the presence or absence of a toilet.
In the past, the target oriented construction centric approach in sanitation sector has not yielded desired results. A focused and intense behaviour change communication (BCC)is necessary for the SBM as evident from best practices on the subject. For example, experience in countries such as Bangladesh (OD 3%), Sri Lanka (OD NIL) and Vietnam (OD 2%) (UNICEF 2014) show that toilet construction was not entirely supported by the government funds, and community and local people are highly involved.
Subsidy linked support was not the usual approach, and community mobilisation, involving self-help groups and local government leadership were instrumental in spreading sanitation coverage. The mode of funding, allocation pattern and innovative funding models were also found to be instrumental in the success of the sanitation campaign.
In Bangladesh, almost 25% of the total funds for sanitation programme were ear marked for promotional activities. There was also flexibility in fund allocation as per the need of the community. The administrative machinery was very actively involved in the campaign and used various strategies like creating awareness among students, involving religious leaders, involving women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and monitoring through committees. The presence of large and credible NGOs who are involved in various social activities had also been extremely helpful.
A rigorous approach towards spearheading behavioural change is required in India for achieving open defecation free status. The challenge is to design an effective strategy which will change the age old habits and practices which stand in the way. The message has to be clearer, louder and stronger than the earlier programmes to effect the required change. The State may select the social, religious, political leaders or celebrities to spread the message of sanitation and chalk out the strategy.
Second, sanitation being a multi-stakeholder, and multi-agency and multi-stage activity, institutional capacity of various stakeholders needs to be strengthened. Appropriate institutional arrangements at State and local level to ensure participation of communities and civil societies for planning and management would go a long way towards resolving some of the major concerns in the sanitation sector. Capacity building of local bodies and Government officials at all levels is required by regular training and upgradation of skills, especially before for introducing new technologies.
Third, the SBM (Urban) has major components relating to the construction of toilets and municipal solid waste management. However, treatment of liquid waste, which is an extremely important component has been missed out. Sewage management is an integral part of sanitation and hygiene. An array of technologies and management models exist in the country and elsewhere which could be customised to the local geographical conditions as appropriate. Inclusion of liquid waste management in SBM will make it more integrated and holistic.
India’s sanitation sector provides ample opportunities to experiment with innovations in sanitation technology, management and practices. Of course, a clear understanding of how these innovations fit into the comprehensive citywide sanitation plans and help in closing the sanitation chain in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner is a must.
(This publication is part of a research study on Urban Water and Sanitation in India, which is coordinated by Coca-Cola Department of Regional Water Studies at TERI University, New Delhi and is funded by the USAID.)
Comments
0 comment