SANIATION- Its importance….
Sanitation generally refers to
the provision of facilities and services for the safe disposal of human urine
and faeces. Inadequate sanitation is a major cause of disease world-wide and
improving sanitation is known to have a significant beneficial impact on health
both in households and across communities. The word 'sanitation' also refers to
the maintenance of hygienic conditions, through services such as construction
of individual house hold latrine, garbage collection and wastewater disposal.
Around 1.1 billion people
globally do not have access to improved water supply sources whereas 2.4
billion people do not have access to any type of improved sanitation facility.
About 2 million people die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases, most of them
are children less than 5 years of age. The most affected are the populations in
developing countries, living in extreme conditions of poverty, normally
peri-urban dwellers or rural inhabitants. Among the main problems which are
responsible for this situation are: lack of priority given to the sector, lack
of financial resources, lack of sustainability of water supply and sanitation
services, poor hygiene behaviours, and inadequate sanitation in public places
including hospitals, health centres, schools and anganwadi centers. Providing
access to sufficient quantities of safe water, the provision of facilities for
a sanitary disposal of excreta, and introducing sound hygiene behaviours are of
capital importance to reduce the burden of disease caused by these risk
factors.
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention
of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical,
microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can
cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic
wastewater (sewage, sullage, greywater), industrial wastes and agricultural
wastes. Hygienic means of prevention can be by using engineering solutions
(e.g. sewerage and wastewater treatment), simple technologies (e.g. latrines,
septic tanks), or even by personal hygiene practices (e.g. simple handwashing
with soap).
Rural Sanitation
In India Rural Sanitation is a
State Subject and is undertaken by the State Government under the State Sector
Minimum Needs Programmes (MNP). The Centrally Sponsored Rural Sanitation
Programme (CRSP) was launched in 1986 to
supplement the efforts of the States. The programme was restructured during the
Ninth Plan and introduced Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC). TSC as a part of
reform principles was initiated in April 1, 1999 when Central Rural Sanitation
Programme was restructured making it demand driven and people centered. It
follows a principle of “low to no subsidy” where a nominal subsidy in the form
of incentive is given to rural poor households for construction of toilets. TSC
gives strong emphasis on Information, Education and Communication (IEC), Capacity Building and Hygiene Education for
effective behaviour change with involvement of PRIs, CBOs, and NGOs etc. The
key intervention areas are Individual household latrines (IHHL), School
Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE), Community Sanitary Complex, Anganwadi
toilets supported by Rural Sanitary Marts (RSMs) and Production Centers
(PCs). The main goal of the GOI is to eradicate the practice of open defecation
by 2012. To give fillip to this endeavor, GOI has launched Nirmal Gram Puraskar
to recognize the efforts in terms of cash awards for fully covered PRIs and
those individuals and institutions who have contributed significantly in
ensuring full sanitation coverage in their area of operation. The project is
being implemented in rural areas taking district as a unit of implementation. Total
Sanitation Campaign is a comprehensive programme to ensure sanitation
facilities in rural areas with broader goal to eradicate the practice of open
defecation.
In India the
model of Individual house hold latrine
(IHHL) was upgraded four times. The cost of
initial model was Rs. 625.00 where the beneficiaries had to contribute
Rs. 125.00. The model was then upgraded to model E costing Rs. 1500.00 where
the beneficiaries had to contribute Rs. 300.00. The model was again upgraded to
One Pit Pour Flush Latrine with a provision for second pit costing Rs. 3000.00
where the beneficiaries had to contribute Rs. 300.00. The cost of the model is now 4000.00 where the
beneficiaries had to contribute Rs. 300.00.
The Individual house hold latrine is provided to
beneficiaries who are below poverty line (BPL). The above poverty line (APL)
families are given awareness, motivation and specification to construct
sanitary latrine by their own. Initially the beneficiaries are entitled to get
the latrine if their name is listed in BPL list provided by the DRDA
department. Recently the Government of India have instructed to follow the
BPL list of P&RD department which is in the web site.
The construction of hardware activities is
entrusted to Non Government Organisation (NGO) / Self Help Group (SHG)
generally and in some cases to PRI. They are given instruction, drawing and
specification for construction of hardware activities
The TSC activities over the years have seen growth.
The Community is participating in this practice, but a lot need to be done yet.
DDWS need to review its implementation procedure. All are in papers and meeting
rooms. The money involved and the people responsible for its success should be
ashamed off.
I being a simple citizen of BHARAT request my
fellow brother and sister to follow the guidelines of Sanitation…..
1. Drinking water and its safe handling and
storing.
2. Safe disposal of waste water..
3. Safe disposal of human excreta.
4. Safe disposal of Garbage and cattle dung.
5. Home Sanitation and food hygiene.
6. Personal hygiene.
7. Village sanitation.
We
have to make Bharat like all the other Developed countries.
