Sanitation Challenge in India:

Indian Space scientists have put machines on the moon, yet 1 in every 2 Indians does not have access to toilets. Everyday 638 million people or about 50% of the population in India resort to open defecation.

There has been progress, from the “Central Rural Sanitation Programme”, which was initiated in 1988 by the Government of India, to the “Total Sanitation Campaign” launched in the year 1999. However, according to the 2010 report by UNICEF, on progress in sanitation coverage, even in 2008, 69% of rural Indian population did not have access to toilets.

All private and public sanitation drives suffer from some common problems.

0. Biggest problem--- Corruption at all level.

1. The quality of constructed toilets is very poor due to budgetary or time constraints.

2. Toilet designs are often not appropriate for the targeted ecological terrain.

3. A lack of clearly defined “standards” for toilet design are leading to toilets that pollute the environment.

4. Stakeholders do not have adequate awareness and knowledge of sustainable sanitation models.

5. The District Coordinator are acting as puppet in the show. They need more power , autonomy, status, high salary structure in the current price rise scenario to work according to the rules and regulation provided by the G.O.I to achieve the goal of Sanitation.

6. More reforms have to be made from the higher authority.

7. PRI are corrupted.

8 The District sanitation Cell should function independently.