In fast-urbanising Africa, the governments must rework their usual toilet building strategies to ensure safe disposal of waste.
OVER A decade ago, when the world began discussing targets for sanitation the idea seemed simple—build toilets and people will use them. When the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set in 2000 came to an end in 2015, over 2 billion people had gained access to improved sanitation. But nearly 2.6 billion people still had no or poor sanitation facilities—it was the world’s unfinished agenda. The Sustainable Development Goals, which succeeded MDGs, have now set an ambitious global goal to completely get rid of this wicked problem—by 2030 all citizens of the world must have access to clean water and improved sanitation. India (particularly, the laggard states of Odisha, Bihar, Goa, Tripura, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh) and Africa hold the key to this transition. So, where are we today?
The past two decades have taught the world some crucial stuff. Firstly, it is clear that toilets do not equal safe sanitation. The faecal matter, if excreted into a poorly made pit in the ground or a latrine connected to an open drain (as is the case in most places) will contaminate the environment and add to the health burden. So, if toilets must lead to the benefits that they are designed to do—reduce waterborne diseases, improve nutrition of children and increase productivity—then sanitation has to be approached differently. The toilet has to be built with provisions for management of human excreta. The toilet must also be built with provision for water. Once again, if people cannot wash hands or clean the toilet then it will add to the health burden. This is the toilet+ strategy.
Denne historien er fra August 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra August 16, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara