“Burden of Inheritance” published in October 2009 by WaterAid India, report is an outcome to understand the complex and shameful practice of manual scavenging which unfortunately still exists in our country.

This report tries to seek answers to the question: Why have we not been able to eradicate manual scavenging? To get to the bottom of this scourge, the report has first explored the question: why are people continuing in this occupation despite availability of other dignified livelihood sources? Why is manual scavenging in practice in towns and cities where other cleaner options for survival exist? When there are feasible and viable technological alternatives to dry toilets, one of the drivers of this occupation, why does the practice continue?

Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is essential for protection and promotion of health. It is a basic human right and a key component of effective public health delivery system. "Disease Burden due to Inadequate Water & Sanitation Facilities in India", is a study conducted by the Sulabh International Academy of Environmental Sanitation (SIAES) and published in 2008 with support from World Health Organization (WHO). The study documents the need and impact of provision of safe water and sanitary excreta disposal facilities towards preventing infectious diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis etc.

"Sulabh Community Latrines: 12 Million Customers Daily", is a case study on Sulabh written in 2004. Every day, Sulabh provides sanitation to 12 million people and charges a small fee, demonstrating that even poor people are willing to pay to use a clean toilet. Sulabh is running over 6,000 community centers all over India, but this is still a drop in the ocean. The founder, Bindeshwar Pathak, says that over 150,000 such centres would be needed. The service is just breaking even, but now Pathak wants to create a new organisation that will allow him to expand further. 
Read the case study