This proposal prepared by Hoshangabad Nagar Palika Parishad, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Water and Sanitation Programme South Asia, is meant to ensure that every household in this town adopts safe sanitation practices and is to help enable the urban local body, implement a city wide sanitation programme that finally ensures collection and treatment of waste.
This document is the tenth mile stone in the process of achieving the goal of city-wide sanitation for Hoshangabad.
The next steps include formation of City and District Sanitation Committees, setting up of the City Sanitation Cell and mobilisation for the development and implementation of the Hoshangabad City Sanitation Plan. The process began with a baseline sanitation survey undertaken in 2008 which was followed by numerous rounds of discussions and community mobilisation. The draft proposal is divided into five chapters which include an overview of the town and sanitation facilities, the technology options for a city wide sanitation plan, city wide sanitation, institutional design options and finally, the way forward for the project.
Chapter 1 Overview:
The chapter begins with a profile of the town. Important facets of the town are highlighted which include it being situated on the banks of the river Narmada, a floating tourist population that surges during holy days. Information on the functioning and responsibilities of the municipality is also provided. Attention is also given to the the sanitation coverage in the town. This chapter also mentions older studies on sanitation habits which indicate an unwillingness of households without toilets to financially contribute to and make use of individual or community sanitation facilities. The fact that the town comes under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) is seen as catalyst for a city wide sanitation programme that is based on the principles of the National Urban Sanitation Policy (NUSP).
Chapter 2: City wide sanitation: Components and technology options
The chapter describes the vision of the NUSP and the framework of a city wide sanitation plan. Further, the existing environmental sanitation scenario is looked into at great detail. To get this scenario 15515 households were surveyed; it was found that 85% had individual sanitation out of this 85% a little less than 11 percent were accessing pit type latrines. 15% of the total did not have access to household sanitation and mostly practised open defecation while some used public facilities.
As the town has a floating visiting population the chapter also details the current status of sanitation arrangements for them. The town's wastewater generation, collection, treatment and disposal is also noted here. The municipality says that the daily water supply level is 90 litres per person, the report is able to calculate the quantity of wastewater generated which is estimated at 9.22 mld. A drawing of the natural drainage network of the town is also provided.
The chapter also includes a note on the proposed sewerage and sewage treatment scheme for the the city as per the NRCP. It is noted that the town does not have a proper septage management system, further the current solid waste collection system of the town does not include an organized large-scale system of door-to-door collection of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). The chapter ends with a list of gaps that have been identified in the current MSW management, these include the absence of an integrated collection, transportation, treatment and disposal system for MSW, lack of treatment and disposal facilities etc.
Chapter 3: City wide sanitation
The authors in this chapter provide various feasible options for a city wide sanitation programme for the town. The programme is broken down into four components which are - improving sanitation facilities for residents and floating population, waste water conveyance, waste water treatment and disposal/reuse/recycling of treated wastewater. Also the implementation period and population projection over the period is discussed. Importantly, the chapter defines certain level of service and infrastructure on the basis on the current level to holistically sanitise the town; this also allows costs to be computed. The chapter provides a list of permutation and combinations of various sanitation options; these include fully on site, settled sewerage, part on-site, part off-site, simplified sewerage and mixed system. A detailed analysis of each option is given which include costs-benefit analysis, challenges and management of option.
The chapter also provides suggestions to improve the existing solid waste management system these revolve around the Municipal Solid Waste Management and Handling Rules (2000). The improvements suggested include door to door collection of waste, provision of storage bins etc. The requirements in terms of infrastructure, manpower and costs are also provided. Suggestions on revenue generation from waste collection is also given.
Chapter 4: Institutional design options for Hoshangabad Sanitation Plan
Understanding that a city wide sanitation plan is only as good as its implementation the authors explore different institutional design that could plan and implement the city management plan. The designs provided also look into the creation of monitoring and regulation of the programme through these institutions.However, it is pertinent to note that the suggestions are based on the Integrated Urban Sanitation Program (IUSP) guidelines. The chapter begins with an explanation of the current institutional setup, staffing of health department and the legal provisions thereof. The authors note that that Madhya Pradesh Bhoomi Vikas Niyam, 1984 provide for building requirements and the provision of toilets and bath in buildings meant for habitation or allow public entry. Further the Madhya Pradesh Municipalities Act (MPMA) gives the urban local body powers (by notification) to ensure provision of safe sanitation.
The impact of technical options, as mentioned in the previous chapter, on instutitional options is also highlighted. The authors point out that each set of technical options has associated set of activities relating to behaviour change, conveyance, safe disposal, treatment and reuse all of which will have to be dealt with by the type of institution finally chosen. A list of institutional options are provided along with their pros and cons.
Chapter 5: The way forward
This draft plan, the authors point out, is one of the many mile stones in the entire project. The authors note that there are 13 other milestones to be completed. The final one being the Implementation of the plan. However before this the town has to create a City Sanitation Cell, select a city wide sanitation option, identify gaps in rules etc, define and operationalise the institutional setup etc.
In the annexures of this draft report, the authors list out the legal provisions impacting sanitation management. A list of number of houses in each ward without sanitation is also given in the annexures. The Government of Madhya Pradesh proposal to the Centre for financing the construction of latrines under the Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme forms part of the annexures. The final annexure gives the institutional framework as suggested in the IUSP guidelines.
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