We gained independence a long time ago but the basic life necessities are still away from the millions in India. Our nation is still under the shadow of underdevelopment which is reflected in the unavailability of proper defecation system. Taking this into account writes R. Laalima
When I peeped out of the window of the moving train,
instead of beautiful scenery I saw people defecating in the open and it
triggered a question in my conscience. When our party leaders are struggling to
gather support and votes for the upcoming elections, the commoners of our
country are struggling for daily basic provisions of sanitation.
Today India is in a pathetic condition by being home for
the largest population defecating in open in the world. According to
data released by the national sample survey office (National Sample Survey
Organisation) in December 2013, 59.4 per cent of India defecates in
open. A very essential need of human is being ignored to such an extent
that it has created catastrophic consequences for the people of our country. In
a website named India Sanitation Portal a report was
published on open defecation which clearly states that around 18 percent of urban India still defecates in open
while the percentage of rural India is as high as 69 percent. It also
underlines that open defecation leads to deadly diarrhea and other
intestinal diseases caused by ill sanitation which kills hundreds of
thousands of people worldwide every year. Open defecation is prevalent among
all socio-economic groups in rural India though the bottom two wealth quintiles
bear the heaviest burden. Children—already vulnerable and marginalized—pay the
highest price in respect of their survival and development.
This custom which has been
enrooted in the upbringing of small children has not only made them suffer
behaviorally but also has catered to health related issues which has caused
them dire health diseases as a result of poor sanitation practices. India
loses more than 600,000 children under the age of five year due to diarrhea and
pneumonia which is almost 30% of global strength.
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According to data released by the national sample survey office (National Sample Survey Organisation) in December 2013, 59.4 per cent of India defecates in open
Photo Credits- www.outlookindia.com
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It is not only constricted to
children but the women are also a major sufferer of this grim situation wherein
it is estimated that 1 in 3 women worldwide risk shame, disease, harassment and
even attacks because they have no safe access to toilets. As women are usually
the caretakers of the house, they stay at home when their relatives fall sick
from sanitation related diseases; thereby increasing their risk of contracting
these infectious diseases. It was estimated that in India, 23% of girls
drop out of school when they reach puberty because of inadequate toilet
facilities.
States like Jharkhand and Haryana
which held a bad record previously now has shown greatest of improvements in
building sanitation infrastructure throughout the city.
In 2008, as many as 10 villages
of Haryana have won an esteemed award of Nirmal Gram Pruraskar (a
national award for Open defecation free ODF village). A baseline survey by
Union ministry of drinking Water and sanitation shows that Haryana has achieved 75% sanitation
cover till December 2013.
92.5 % of rural households in Jharkhand still do not have access
to toilets, states 2011 census. However, there has been effort to paint the
picture anew by taking up sanitation initiatives and the results is that the
state stats has went up to 26% in 2013 from a mere 8 % in 2011.
These states brought up their
society together to build consensus for good sanitary practices with the help
of proper administrative strategies and spreading awareness in the common
people. The people when understand the problem can get down to eradicate it
from the roots. To change the perception and implement the rationality is the
need of the time.
