Swachh Bharat funds remain unused by Delhi's municipal corporations
Three municipal corporations of Delhi have failed to properly utilise funds allotted under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) to improve their environs, a Centre for Civil Society study indicates. The North Corporation has not even spent a rupee allotted to it while the South Corporation has utilised just 0.25 percent of the allocated funds. The Delhi Citizens Handbook 2016 mentions that the implementation of toilet construction and solid waste management projects under the SBM have remained poor in the national capital with no individual household latrine constructed since the mission’s inauguration.
TISS for creation of a National Council for Urban Sanitation for effective implementation
The Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) recommends the setting up of a National Council for Urban Sanitation and roping in professionals to improve the efficiency and impact of sanitation programmes currently in operation across the country. The council, according to TISS, should be empowered to oversee implementation and manage all matters of governance to ensure transparency and accountability with representation from civil society, policy makers and academia alike.
No takers for Chennai's modern public toilets
A majority of the modern pre-fabricated toilets installed by the Greater Chennai Corporation across crowded places remain useless. Citizens blame poor maintenance and bad placement of these loos as the major reason for reduced patronage. Garbage is often found dumped around these toilets making it extremely difficult for users to access them. While many of these toilets lack running water, some remain closed most of the time prompting people to urinate right outside them.
Uttarakhand to give Rs 20,000 for building toilets at construction workers' homes
The state government of Uttarakhand has decided to provide a subsidy of Rs 20,000 for families of construction workers to build toilets at homes in a bid to improve sanitation. Officials have been directed to ensure that all construction workers enroll themselves under the ‘building and under-construction scheme’ to ensure they avail the benefit. The number of construction workers is expected to be around 50,000 in the state.
Garbage now fills Noida's ambitious biodiversity park
The Noida Authority once had plans of establishing a biodiversity park around sectors 91, 93B and 137. Today, the areas around the natural lakes in these sectors are filled with garbage and filth, effectively throwing the grand plans of conservation out of the window. If the dumping continues, residents fear the area will soon turn into a full-time, official dumpyard like the Ghazipur landfill. Following complaints, the Noida City Magistrate has decided to call for a survey to ascertain the reasons for this grave transformation.
This is a roundup of important sanitation related news published between September 10 and 16, 2016
Lead image courtesy: Hindustan Times