Toilets and Urinals

For almost two decades, the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993 was a paralytic occupant of the statute books. The Act prohibited the construction of dry toilets which required faeces to be removed manually and outlawed manual scavenging.

Ramkaran Sharma built a new house three years back. From one room and kitchen on a terrace, his family graduated to three rooms, a bigger kitchen and a separate toilet and bathroom. Still, Ramkaran prefers to go out in the fields to relieve himself. “I like to take a long walk.

As part of its efforts to promote rural sanitation, the government, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), promises a subsidy of Rs 12,000 for the construction of individual household toilets. Households that fall in the below poverty line (BPL) category and select households such as those belonging to SCs/STs and the ones headed by women can avail of this subsidy amount.

Urban development ministry ties up with dabbawallas to spread sanitation message

According to the recent figures by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF [

It is a fact that constructing toilets alone cannot ensure total sanitation. The real challenge lies in getting people to use them. While treating fecal sludge and disposing it are largely urban concerns, modifying behaviour and motivating people to abandon open defecation are considered rural sanitation challenges.

Only 16 out of India's 677 districts open defecation free