Sanitation status before 2014 and its impact

• Till 2014, sanitation coverage in India was as low as 39 per cent.
• Around 55 crore people in rural areas were without a toilet facility before 2014.

Impact on health

• Exposure to contaminated drinking water and food with pathogen-laden human waste is a major cause of diarrhoea and can cause cholera, trachoma, intestinal worms, etc, leading to the “stunting” of children. 

Impact on environment

• Poor hygiene and waste management practices also impact the environment with untreated sewage flowing directly into water bodies and affecting coastal and marine ecosystems, contaminating soil and air, and exposing millions to disease.

Impact on economy

• A study by the World Bank states that the absence of toilets and conventional sanitation costs India 6.4 per cent of its GDP in 2006.
• The economic impact of poor sanitation for India is at least $38.5 billion every year under health, education, access time and tourism.

Sanitation Status post 2014

• From 2014 to 2020, more than 10 crore toilets were constructed. The country declared itself ODF on October 2, 2019.

How does that happen?

Launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)

• The launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2014, had a unique goal to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to make the country Open Defecation Free (ODF). 
• It offered financial incentives for building household toilets, as well as community toilets for slums and migrant populations.
• It ensured participation of the private sector and NGOs to educate the population on the benefits of ODF to bring about a behavioural change among them.

SBM 2.0

• The second phase of the project, which commenced in 2020 and is expected to run till 2025 has the following targets
  • sustaining the achievements of phase 1 and
  • ensuring that treatment of both liquid and solid waste is achieved through the help of technology and private sector engagement.

Lighthouse Initiative

• The Lighthouse Initiative (LHI) was started by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• It is to be implemented through Public Private Partnership Model  across villages in 75 gram panchayats in 15 states in Phase1.
• LHI is based on the principle of inclusive sanitation and leaving no one behind.
• LHI aims to effectively implement solid and liquid waste management structures by employing a participatory and consultative approach through mobilisation of the village communities, corporates, district and block administration and gram panchayat officers.

Benefits out of this initiative

• Creates hygienic surroundings for the communities
• Helps the communities to become economically self-sufficient in the medium to long term.
• Recovery of precious grey water through minimal treatment and treatment of sewage helps tackle scarce water resources, encouraging reuse and conserving water bodies.
• Help build the capacity of the gram panchayats in understanding how to manage the various programmes where PPPs can excel.

About the Indian Sanitation Coalition

• The India Sanitation Coalition aims at bringing together all actors in the sanitation space to drive sustainable sanitation through a partnership mode.
• It is a multi-stakeholder platform that creates meaningful collaborations among private sector, government, financial institutions, civil society groups, media, donors, etc.
• ISC is recognised as the official intersection between the government and the private sector for engagement in helping build solid and liquid waste management infrastructure sustainably.
• ISC continues to focus on the government’s position with regard to the thematic interlinkages between WASH and sectors such as health, education, gender, nutrition and livelihoods.