- Recent Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS) of the government has called into question the Central government’s claim in 2019 that all Indian villages are open defecation free (ODF).
- As of now, four government surveys/reports released just before or after the announcement, including the latest Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS), have not only disputed the ODF status of most States but also shown persisting levels of poor sanitation in many of them.
- The three older surveys which disputed the ODF status were:
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) survey from October 2018,
- The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) of 201920
- The National Family Health Survey5 (NFHS5) 201921.
What is Swachh Bharat Mission?
- Ministry of Jal shakti launched Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBMG) in 2014. The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas during the period 2014 to 2019 through mass scale behavior change, construction of household-owned and community-owned toilets and establishing mechanisms for monitoring toilet construction and usage.
Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status
ODF – An area is notified/declared as ODF if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.
ODF + - An area can be notified/declared as SBM ODF+ if at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating or urinating in the open and all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained.
ODF ++ - An area can be declared if it is having ODF+ status and entire faecal sludge/ septage and sewage is safely managed and treated, with no discharging and/or dumping of untreated faecal sludge/septage and sewage in drains, water bodies or open areas.
Challenges to Swachh Bharat Mission:
- Maintaining ODF status is important after a village, block or district is declared ODF. Generally, it so happens that once it is declared, there is no pressure on the district administration to do any activity because the goal has been achieved.
- There is more focus on quantity i.e., there is overemphasis on number of toilets being constructed ignoring other parameters.
- Overreporting of number toilets being constructed, as highlighted by Comptroller and auditor general (CAG) of India.
- Contradictory claims of government and various other agencies regarding status of open defecation free areas.
- Monitoring issues, as government’s own data has revealed only 14% of the constructed toilets have gone through the second round of verification.
- Usage-related challenges include tackling cultural and mind-set issues, providing water in rural areas, addressing the problem of small and dingy toilets, stigma associated with pit-emptying, and making-men use toilets.
- Despite a ban on manual scavenging, it continues at various places in the country. Unofficial figures reveal presence of 13 lakh manual scavengers; official figures are about two lakhs. The Dalit community is mainly engaged in this work, and not much attention is being paid towards reforming their lives.
- Sewage treatment remains below the intended levels, untreated sewage in turn becomes an environmental hazard.
- Availability of water is crucial for optimal and continued utilization of the toilets. Regular supply of water remains a challenge and thus causes discontinuation of the use of the toilets.
- Caste and religious beliefs stillplay a crucial role in deciding who is going to use the toilets and who will not. It also has an intricate relation in terms of bringing behavioral changes. Thus, as a result still a large number of people still prefer open defecation despite having a operational toilet.