Original Query: K.A.S. Mani, APFAGMS, Hyderabad

Posted: 24 February 2006

I am Dr K A S Mani, working with Andhra Pradesh Farmer Managed Groundwater Systems (APFAMGS) Project which is a network of over 650 villages working towards enabling the farmers to manage their groundwater systems in about 638 villages in seven drought prone districts of Andhra Pradesh. The development objective of the project is that farmers in Andhra Pradesh manage their groundwater systems based on annual recharge-draft conditions. Main activities include participatory hydrological monitoring, artificial recharge and sustainable agriculture inputs, capacity building and institutional development. One of the areas being explored by the communities is better management and treatment of waste water, so that it could be re-used for agricultural and other purposes.

Original Query: Gopal Sane, Samruddhi, New Delhi

Posted: 22 March 2006

I have been working with bio sanitizers used in septic tanks and wet kitchen waste treatment and I found that the odors and pests like mosquitoes and cockroaches disappeared. I want to take this idea to densely populated slums in cities like Delhi, where wet kitchen waste and open sewage creating odor and pests is a common problem, but I have found much resistance in getting ready acceptance from communities, even in spite of the obvious benefits.

From Pramod Dabrase, Urban Administration and Development Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal

Posted 12 March 2009

I work with the Urban Administration and Development Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh. The Department has launched an Integrated Urban Sanitation Programme in Madhya Pradesh with the goal to achieve totally sanitized and healthy cities and towns. The programme was launched on 13 February 2009 in Bhopal.

From Priyam Das, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)/WaterAid, California, USA

Posted 9 June 2007

I am a Doctoral student in Urban Planning at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) working on water and sanitation issues in developing countries.

Original Query: Dinesh Kumar, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Anand, Gujarat

Posted: 9 September 2005

I am Dinesh Kumar working at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Anand, Gujarat.

From Lizette Burgers, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), New Delhi

Posted 24 March 2008

Dear Members,

The Government of India launched the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), a comprehensive national program to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas, in 1999. Despite a rapid increase in sanitation coverage, the agenda of achieving total sanitation remains incomplete without addressing the sanitation needs of women specially related to Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). This is rights based issue of women accessing clean hygienic methods for healthy living with dignity. The issue stems from lack of access to information and affordability.

“Sustaining the Sanitation Revolution-India Country Paper” has been presented and published by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) for SACOSAN-III in 16-21 November 2008, paper is divided into two parts – rural and urban sanitation however, in both rural and urban spheres, it highlights the promising initiatives are underway to tackle the sanitation challenge in India.

“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.

Individual Health and hygiene is largely dependent on adequate availability of drinking water and proper sanitation. There is, therefore, a direct relationship between water, sanitation and health. Consumption of unsafe drinking water, improper disposal of human excreta, improper environmental sanitation and lack of personal and food hygiene have been major causes of many diseases in developing countries. India is no exception to this. Prevailing High Infant Mortality Rate is also largely attributed to poor sanitation.

Country Paper Series “School sanitation and hygiene education in India: Investment in building children’s future” has been published by Ministry of Rural Development, Department of Drinking Water Supply for SSHE Global Symposium “Construction is Not Enough” Delft, The Netherlands 8-10 June, 2004, the books were developed in the context of the School Water and Sanitation Towards Health and Hygiene (SWASTHH) programme in India.