Sanitation News - India Together

SANITATION & HYGIENE
Slum dwellers in Assam suffer from poor sanitation and hygiene

Sanitary conditions in most of the slum areas in Assam are abysmal. Ignorance about cleanliness, lack of water supply and proper working toilets, absence of covered drainage and sewage, and no action from the local and state government are to be blamed for the mess, reports Nilotpal Bhattacharjee.

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WASH SUMMIT 2015

Swachh Bharat: What are we missing?

From the time of the PM’s speech on 15 August 2014, where he announced his commitment to a ‘Swachh Bharat’, what has changed in the WASH sector in India? Himanshu Upadhyaya shares some notes taken as a delegate at the recent India WASH Summit in the capital.

Public Health Government Human Rights

MANUAL SCAVENGING

There’s always one to clear your mess!

Despite the enactment of a law prohibiting the casteist and deplorable practice of manual scavenging, many continue to labour in the profession in the face of neglect, deprivation and indignity. Pushpa Achanta draws attention to the injustice meted out to manual scavengers and other sanitary workers.

Laws Caste Society Human Rights

URBAN SANITATION

Reaching the unserved in cities

The failure in India is the major reason why the UN cannot meet the Millennium Development Goal of halving the 2.6 billion in the world without sanitation by 2015. South Asian countries resolve to try harder. Darryl D'Monte reports.

Cities Health

ENTITLEMENTS

The right to water: long road ahead

Judging by the 16 years it took for the right to education to be legislated, the right to water and sanitation is a long way off. But there is much to be learned from the efforts of NGOs, meanwhile. Darryl D'Monte reports.

Water Environment

RURAL WATER/SANITATION

Incredible Medepally: so clean and green

No other village is more eco-friendly than this one in Andhra Pradesh. From 100-per cent toilet coverage to rain water harvesting; from soak pits in every house to clean streets. Usha Turaga-Revelli reports.

Water Health ANDHRA

OPEN DEFECATION

In Kurukshetra, a new victory

The villages of Khanpur Kholiya, Masana and Sawla in Haryana have received the central government's Nirmal Gram Puruskar for ensuring that no one, not even a child, defecates in the open. Darryl D'Monte reports.

Health HARYANA

OPINION

Wrong priorities?

Why when we want recognition as a nuclear power and a growing economic power, why when we want to boast of our educated and trained manpower, should we not come to grips with the issue of sanitation? Kalpana Sharma on the larger reality.

OP-ED Kalpana Sharma Kalpana's Commentary

HEALTH/SANITATION

Will open defecation end by 2012?

The short answer appears to be no. Some 4,959 villages have bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (clean village prize) so far, for having flush toilets in every household and school. But there is a flip side of this otherwise incredible script. Sudhirendar Sharma probes the reality.

Public Funds Health Guest Opinions

WATER AND SANITATION

Taking stock of watsan

India's progress on ensuring water and sanitation for all its citizens is painfully slow; indeed, the country now lags neighbours Pakistan and Bangladesh on this front, and a long road still remains to be travelled. Darryl D'Monte reports on a recent meet to discuss the challenges.

Health

SLUMS

A model for sanitation for the urban poor

A systematic, participatory effort to map and understand the need for sanitation in Sangli's slums has helped Shelter Associates bring about a change in the mindset of civic officials and residents alike. Its director, Pratima Joshi believes this is a model that can be replicated in many other cities. Rasika Dhavse reports.

Housing Cities Government MAHARASHTRA

Clean hands, not soap sales

Who can object to washing hands regularly to improve hygiene? In Kerala, the World Bank found out that it isn't enough to promote sensible messages; it's also important that the messages do not appear to be based on ulterior motives, like sales for MNC products. Darryl D'Monte reports.

Health Kerala