This report by Sulabh International Institute of Health and Hygiene presents a baseline survey on health, hygiene and sanitation in urban slums and villages in Delhi. According to the report availability of basic civic facilities, like potable water, water disposal and sanitation, are vital human needs for health and efficiency of human beings. Inability of the city management and city institutions to provide these facilities to the citizens had led to high incidence of diseases and mortality rates. The problems which the women and children face in these conditions are much worse.
The sanitation programme has not been pursued in an integrated manner and has not been provided as an integrated service which includes availability of water, waste water disposal, women welfare, primary healthcare etc. The analysis also brings out that there was a wide gap between provision for safe disposal of waste and drinking water supply.
On assessment by various organizations, it has been found that available situation in the villages/urban slums in sanitation and water supply is not satisfactory. Open defecation alone is responsible for many diseases and over fifty infections have been found due to it. Around 80 per cent of all ill people’s disease is transferred through human excreta and unsafe drinking water.