CNS: sanitation

Showing posts with label sanitation. Show all posts

More of the same model would fail us even more on SDG goals and targets

More of the same model would fail us even more on sustainable development goals and targets. With 58 months left to deliver on SDG goals and targets for 2030, the pledge of “leave no one behind” would become even more unfulfilled if we do not make tectonic, transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated shifts and actions, said noted feminist leader Sai Jyothirmai Racherla while delivering the keynote address at Asia Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Development, ahead of the intergovernmental meeting to review progress on specific goals and targets in Asia and the Pacific region.

Through the people's lens: Modi's development model so far

Dr Rahul Pandey, Bobby Ramakant and Dr Sandeep Pandey

Story of Modi’s development model so far: Cutting health and education expenditure, forcing land acquisition, buying expensive jets and unsafe nuclear power, benefitting Big Business, diluting employment guarantee, fanning communal fires, exploiting Ganga, curbing dissent and shielding governance from public scrutiny.
If we separate Modi government’s actions from mere words and assess its priorities from the former, there is now enough evidence to form a clear picture. The picture that emerges is one of grossly skewed priorities.

Shobha Shukla - CNS
Pratima refused to finalize the marriage of her son till her husband agreed to construct a toilet in their house located in a Kanpur slum. She did not want her daughter-in-law to suffer the same fate of open defecation as she did. Sushma raised the banner of women’s education, persuading her illiterate slum neighbours to send their daughters to college. Against all odds, Urmila and her team mates prevailed upon their local corporator to build tiled roads in their waterlogged slum. Ashiya worked hard to get more toilets constructed and the sewer lines laid in her slum.

Do you have US$ 24 or Indian Rupees 1,000 to spare? Now the choice is yours how you would like to spend the money: buy movie tickets and enjoy with friends or sponsor four women for a year to help protect their dignity? With this money these women would get the supply of sanitary napkins for a year. Till 5-6 years back menstruation was a tabooed topic in the Indian society. Activists avoided discussions on this integral part of a woman’s life. Even women felt embarrassed to talk about this biological cycle. The situation was despite the fact that the focal point for all schemes of social uplift always remained women–be it micro finance, self help groups or corporate social responsibility.

At a sprawling field in Jalalpur – on the outskirts of Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh state-- over 10,000 people raised their hands flashing their first three fingers and vouched their commitment to: always use a toilet; always wash hands before handling food and after going to toilet; take forward the message of sanitation and hygiene to at least three more people. The occasion was the Great WASH (Water Sanitation Hygiene) Fair organized by the on-going Nirmal Bharat Yatra under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan. Jalalpur was the fourth stop of the Yatra which was flagged off from Vardha (Maharashtra) on October 3 and now moves through villages of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – the five states recording lowest sanitation coverage (between 14% and 22%).

Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi – affectionately and respectfully called Bapu or Mahatma - who played a key role in the Indian freedom struggle, had once said “Sanitation is more important than independence.” Paying tributes to Gandhiji on his 143rd birth anniversary, the Indian government has decided to take this message forward by starting a Nirmal Bharat Yatra (Clean India March). This 2000 kilo metres long Yatra is being launched on October 3 from Wardha district in Maharashtra. In the next 56 days it proposes to cover five states which, according to the 2011 census have the lowest sanitation coverage in India, namely Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and lastly Bihar where it would culminate on November 19, which is World Toilet Day.

A strong criticism of the irrational expenditure of Rs 35 lakhs on the renovation of Planning Commission toilets has been a blessing in disguise and done wonders for sanitation problem in India. A whole lot of progressive announcements in the sanitation sector have been made as a saving grace for the government, which was unable to justify the unnecessary spending on beautification of Planning Commission toilets while crying hoarse of austerity measures.

Safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities are basic necessities of life and the likes of you and me perhaps have never faced the ignominy of trading our privacy for want of basic sanitary needs like proper toilets and clean drinking water. Yet, according to the 2011 Census data, 50% of India’s population defecates in the open, 53% have no drinking water availability within the premises and 49% households are without any drainage facility. Contrast this with over 53% households owning a mobile phone and 47% having a television set. Great progress indeed!

World Water Day, 22 March

On the eve of World Water Day Indian government honoured 2,857 villages in 23 states with Nirmal Gram Puraskars [clean village awards]. Nirmal Gram Puraskar is given by the Indian government in acknowledgement of hundred per cent water, sanitation and hygiene coverage in a village. The President of India Ms Pratibha Patil, in a ceremony held in Delhi, awarded these 2,857 villages for their cleanliness achievements. India has more than 600,000 inhabited villages, of which less than half a per cent have qualified to get the award for cleanliness.

In India, virtually every second person is defecating in the open, every third person is drinking unsafe water and at least 1,000 children are dying every day due to a preventable disease like diarrhoea. This grim picture of the world’s third fastest growing economy was unveiled through the country’s latest census report on drinking water and sanitation, which the Government of India released this month. Earlier on March 6, the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water and Sanitation (JMP) report, released by UNICEF and WHO, too confirmed that in India 59 per cent of people [626 million] defecate in the open. The report had pointed out that - “India is lagging behind 11 years to meet the Millennium Development Goal target, in which the government has resolved that the statistics of open defecation [base 1990] would be halved by 2015.

The observance of World Toilet Day was initiated by the World Toilet Organization on 19th November 2001, to raise global awareness of the emotional and psychological consequences the poor endure as a result of inadequate sanitation. Yet it is a disgrace that this completely preventable crisis continues to blight the lives of 2.6 billion people across the globe that do not have access to proper, clean sanitation. A group of about 35 women economists from different countries of Europe, UK, US, Australia and India, have written an open letter to the Prime Ministers and Presidents of South Asian nations, including India, which are facing acute sanitation crisis. From India Jayati Ghosh, Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Bina Agarwal, Director, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University and Isher Judge Ahluwalia, Chairperson Board of Governors, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations have signed the letter.

More than a billion people do not have access to toilets in South Asia. Over 700 million of these people defecate in the open and get exposed to severe health risks, violence besides adding to environmental pollution. On top of this, majority of schools without toilets and hand washing facilities, which restrict the behaviour change in the next generation, are only making the situation worse. The above situation has brought the South Asian at a crossroad where though they are performing better economically but at the same time facing daunting health challenges.

Adopt sanitation, hygiene and clean water for healthy living

October 15th is Handwashing Day

Photo credit : Ayush Das

After India's most celebrated Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan becoming the brand ambassador for Geneva-based Water Supply and SanitationCollaborative Council (WSSCC), now Indian cricket players are to promote sanitation and hygiene in the country. Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan have already shot a clip, in which they are asking people: "Adopt the WASH hatrick - sanitation, hygiene, clean water - for healthy living".

Urging media to help focus the attention of society on the inhuman practice of manual scavenging, UNICEF Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist Mr Amit Mehrotra, said that, proper and sustained sanitation drives will surely help in eradication of many killer diseases, including diarrhea, typhoid, jaundice and most importantly polio. Read more

The young people are the true custodian of our future, so their voices must not be ignored. The children who live in urban slums in state capital of Uttar Pradesh gave a powerful message to grown-ups to save the environment. The outcome of rising pollution in the city and other adverse manifestations of environmental hazards, are often worst faced by those from the lower socio-economic group. Read more

Behavioral change in sanitation practices will lead to lasting social development

Behavioral change in sanitation practices
will lead to lasting social development
"One of the biggest challenges before us is to bring about sustained behavioral change in the mindset of people towards sanitation. It is important that the man on the street understands that a clean environment will lead to a much healthier individual and society," said Mr Amit Mehrotra, UNICEF water, environment and sanitation (WES) specialist. Mr Mehrotra was addressing the media at the bi-monthly Media for Children, jointly organized by Media Nest and UNICEF at UP Press Club in Lucknow. Listing the challenges in Uttar Pradesh's rural sanitation programme Mr Mehrotra said that the biggest challenge is to ensure quality construction of proper toilets in the rural areas followed by proper maintenance system. "Study done by UNICEF has shown that 72 per cent toilets constructed in the villages are below standards. As a rule there should be one train mason for construction of these toilets but fact is that there are a total of just 16 per cent trained masons in UP villages, this is grossly inadequate" he said. Improper constructed toilets stink, fail to function and are generally abandoned, serving as garbage dumps. Dwelling on the great need for promoting personal hygiene Mr. Mehrotra said that just the simple act of washing one’s hand after going to the toilet will lead to a healthier individual. "Hand-washing with soap after defecation will reduce diarrhea deaths of children by 40 per cent," he said. This shows how important it is to train children in adopting healthier sanitation practices. "One gram human excreta carries 100,000,000 viruses, so you can imagine the virus which abound in our society where 65 per cent people are defecating in the open," said Mr Mehrotra. "Construction of toilets may not be a rocket science but it is a science never the less and it must be respected and practiced by using only trained masons for making the toilets defect- proof," he said. Mr YD Mathur, advisor Sulabh International, national expert on sanitation who was the second resource person for the programme said that there are three points that will take the sanitation programme further, especially in the rural areas. "Quality control of the construction of toilets by trained masons, use of pour flush instead of tank fill system and last but not the least sanitation motivators are the basics of a sound sanitation system," said Mr Mathura as he addressed the media persons. He said sanitation motivators can play a very vital role as centuries of behavioral pattern cannot be changed overnight. Taking off from this point Mr Mehrotra said that since the past few months ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) are being trained by UNICEF to work as motivators. He said in Lalitpur over 700 ASHAs have taken on this additional responsibility of motivators. Mr Mehrotra said soon the other districts of the state will also be trained. The resource persons urged media to do its bit in carrying forward the great need for hygiene in our life. This will mean less people falling sick.
Ms Kulsum Talha, secretary general, Media Nest, while thanking the experts said that a vast and important topic like sanitation can not be explained in just an hour but she said that these experts can be contacted for more details for writing in-depth stories. "Media Nest is an organization which is by the journalists, for the journalist and of the journalists and these sessions are aimed at sensitizing journalists on development issues."
Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

Published in:
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Thai-India News, Bangkok, Thailand
Punjab Newsline Network, Punjab, India
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/ Thailand
India Education Diary
Elites TV News,USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Reddit.com
Twitter.com

Uttar Pradesh Urban Sanitation Policy draft released

Uttar Pradesh Urban Sanitation Policy draft released
Kulsum Mustafa

Draft listing guidelines for the Proposed Urban Sanitation Policy for the most populated state of India - Uttar Pradesh, was released on 15th October, 2009 in Lucknow. Jointly prepared by Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies (RCUES), Lucknow and UNICEF it addresses the sanitation issues of the state's urban population. The final draft was prepared after much debate and deliberation at a one-day culmination workshop, inaugurated by Prof (Dr) Dinesh Sharma, Mayor, Lucknow.

Dr Sharma highlighted the importance of state sanitation policy in the context of growing urban population and existing problems of urban environment. The participants of the workshop included People's Representatives, Executive Officers and Members of the Task Force.

"The implementation of such scheme will require mass awareness and participation, besides coordination and enforcement of legislative provisions for ensuring sanitation, proper management of solid waste, drainage and drinking water availability," said Dr Sharma. He stressed upon the need for converting such document in vernacular language for effective dissemination of information and citizens' awareness.

"Simple and practical guidelines of the sanitation policy need to be widely accepted by the public. Special importance must be given to of promoting effective sanitation in smaller towns and cities of the state", said Guest of Honor for the workshop, Ch. Jitendra Nath Singh, Mayor, Allahabad.

Prof. Nishith Rai, Director, RCUES, Lucknow welcomed the participants and special invitees to the workshop. He highlighted the need for preparing city sanitation plans based on city sanitation profile. He also reported that Govt. of India had been showing keen interest in this context and 50 ULBs have been taken up for preparation of city sanitation plans. He said the government is taking up 423 class I cities for preparing the city sanitation profiles.

Amit Mehrotra, Water Envirement and Sanitation specialist, UNICEF while highlighting the role of UNICEF said it aims at providing overall development to the children of the state, especially through school sanitation programme on which UNICEF is working with the state government.

Dr. Richa Varmani, Joint Director, RCUES made a detailed presentation on the Draft Guidelines for the Proposed Urban Sanitation Policy for the State of Uttar Pradesh. Dr. U.B.Singh, Joint Director, RCUES presented the vote of thanks.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Elites TV, USA
Twitter.com