Villagers in Salkot, western Surkhet, have to produce a “sanitation card” when applying for services from the Village Development Committee (VDC).

The “sanitation card” system was introduced in Salkot in mid April 2011 when it was declared an open defecation free zone. The card contains information on whether the house of the card holder has a toilet and has pledged to no longer practice open defecation.

A better understanding of a county’s political and social processes and entities that determine the extent and nature of investments in sanitation could catalyze a sharp increase in numbers of people with access, especially for the poor, according to a new report released by the Water and Sanitation Program. Read More

From Bhawna Vajpai, The Loomba Trust, New Delhi

Posted 7 July 2008

I work for the UK based Loomba Trust, committed to upgrading and constructing water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools under its WASH initiatives. We aim to work in 1,000 schools across India (rural areas and small towns) in collaboration with state governments.

“What is ailing sanitation sector in India?” written by Depinder S Kapur in November 19, 2007 published by WaterAid India for World Toilet Day, studies show that sanitation is the most neglected and most off-track of the UN MDG targets and is vital for poverty reduction and represents a driver for development.

“Diarrheal disease: Solutions to Defeat a Global Killer”, the research study conducted by PATH to evaluate the global health funding and policy landscape found that diarrheal disease ranked last among a list of other global health issues. Public awareness of this issue is also low, making it difficult to mobilize commitments and resources. In donor countries such as the United States, many are unaware of the burden of diarrheal disease and the existing prevention and treatment options.

The study, commissioned in 2008 by WaterAid India, carries an independent qualitative assessment of Government of India’s Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) launched in 1999. The primary qualitative data generated during field visits to 40 GPs in 20 blocks across 10 districts of 5 states (2 each from a state) in India. Study states included Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, and Tripura.

“Ensuring Water and Sanitation: The SHG way” written by Manu Prakash in 2005 and published by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India is a unique experiment where women were mobilized in groups and helped to acquire masonry and plumbing skills for constructing the household toilets and repairing of water and sanitation facilities on an entrepreneurial basis.

“Tirupur Water Supply and Sanitation Project: An Impediment to Sustainable Water Management?” written by Roopa Madhav in 2008 published by International Environmental Law Research Centre, Geneva, Switzerland. This case study highlights The New Tirupur Area Development Corporation Limited (NTADCL) is the first public private partnership, set up in 1995 primarily to supply industrial water to Tirupur, a major export centre for knitwear, in India. This water supply and sewerage project is also the first project to be structured on a commercial format; first concession by a state government to a public limited company to draw raw water for domestic and industrial uses and to collect revenues; the first index-based user charges and direct cost recovery for urban environmental services.  The scheme, in effect, has a direct bearing on the efforts to ensure recycling of waste water and 'zero effluents discharge' and in turn, the broader agenda of sustainable water management and conservation.

"The Sendriya Shouchalaya: A Urine-diversion Dehydration Toilet experience from Kuran village, Maharashtra, India", is a photo-essay, describing the setting up and operation of an eco-san toilet in a remote village in Maharastra. The toilet was set up by Sourabh Phadke, an architect from Pune, in collaboration with the owners, Bhau and Kadubai.