{"id":1355,"date":"2019-07-11T11:30:17","date_gmt":"2019-07-11T11:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/2020\/12\/23\/rural-sanitation-a-charter-of-demands\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T21:31:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T16:01:53","slug":"rural-sanitation-a-charter-of-demands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/kn-in\/rural-sanitation-a-charter-of-demands\/","title":{"rendered":"Rural sanitation: A charter of demands"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are studies and field reports that have analysed the <\/span>Swachh Bharat Mission<\/span> (SBM)<\/span> <\/span>in terms of coverage and use of toilets<\/span> in rural India<\/span>. The official government survey, the NARSS 2018-19<\/a>, shows that 93 percent of rural households have access to a<\/span> toilet and 96<\/span> percent<\/span> of those having a toilet use them. <\/span>Critiques<\/span><\/a> of the survey point out the contradictions between NARSS and micro-level assessments in different parts of India. <\/span>O<\/span>ther <\/span>studies<\/span><\/a> point out <\/span>issues related to how comprehensive the approach to sanitation need<\/span>s<\/span> to be, if SBM is to truly address the large scale problems of ill-health, malnutrition<\/span>,<\/span> and poor quality of life caused by poor sanitation practices.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation<\/a> has already issued guidelines for follow-up components, such as the ‘<\/span>Advisory on ODF Sustainability interventions<\/span><\/a>‘. It is quite likely that with the Prime Minister and his government taking charge for the second term, the sustainability of the first generation SBM efforts will be given high priority. <\/span>In this context, it is pertinent to throw light on some micro<\/span>–<\/span>level issues, based on <\/span>more than<\/span> <\/span>two decades of experience in rural Odisha.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

Related article: Sanitation efforts must focus on quality, equity and social inclusion<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

\"What<\/a><\/div>

A rural sanitation model that works<\/h3>

Gram Vikas<\/a>, the organisation I <\/span>lead<\/span>, started its work in rural sanitation in the year 1994. <\/span>Our<\/span> model of 100 percent coverage <\/span>of all households in a village<\/span>, all of them<\/span> <\/span>building and using household <\/span>level <\/span>toilet<\/span>s<\/span> and a bathing <\/span>room with piped water supply<\/span>,<\/span> has been recognised as a best practice <\/span>nationally<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>globally<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>

The integrated water, sanitation<\/span>,<\/span> and hygiene<\/span> (WSH)<\/span> intervention that <\/span>we<\/span> support rural communities with, is built on the following principles:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>