Billions without Improved SanitationBillions without Improved SanitationThe JMP report of 2010 indicates that improved

sanitation facilities are used by less than two thirds of the world population. Virtually, the entire population of the developed regions uses improved facilities, but in the developing regions only around half the population uses improved sanitation.

Though there are notable increases in the use of improved sanitation in certain regions, by far the greatest number of people without improved sanitation facilities are in Southern Asia, Eastern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

FACT: Access to Sanitation ProvisionFACT: Access to Sanitation Provision

Globally over 2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation worldwide – of which 650 million people reside in India.

Population without improved sanitation, (region wise) in 2008 (millions) – UNICEF-WHO JMP 2010 Update

Access to Sanitation – East Asia Access to Sanitation – East Asia and the Pacificand the Pacific

Almost 1.3 billion people in East Asia and the Pacific had access to improved sanitation in 2006. Coverage increased from 49 per cent in 1990 to 66 per cent in 2006.

The region’s population without access to sanitation decreased by 174 million, from 847 million in 1990 to 673 million in 2006. increase in coverage outpace population growth.

The rate at which the region gained access to sanitation is sufficient to meet the MDG sanitation target of 75 per cent by 2015.

In 7 countries of East Asia and the Pacific (Cambodia, Fed. States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Lao PDR, PNG, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste), sanitation coverage is less than 50 per cent.

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Basic Uncovered Population – East Asia Basic Uncovered Population – East Asia and the Pacificand the Pacific

Population (millions)

Population using unimproved sanitation(millions)

Population practising open defecation(million)

Urban

Rural

Total Urban Rural Total Urban

Rural Total

1990 500 1,161

1,661 93 504 598 28 146 174

2000 715 1,155

1,870 80 409 488 39 117 156

2006 856 1,113

1,969 50 342 393 51 93 144

2015 1,070 1,033

2,103 - - - - - -

4Source: Status and Trends Drinking Water and Sanitation in East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF

Urban and Rural Sanitation – East Asia & PacificUrban and Rural Sanitation – East Asia & PacificUrban sanitation coverage is 75 per centHowever, since 1990, the urban population without improved

sanitation increased by 37 million to 212 million.111 million people in urban areas share a sanitation facility of an

otherwise acceptable type.51 million people in urban areas practices open defecation, 23

million more than in 1990.Rural sanitation coverage increased from 42 to 59 per centSince 1990, the rural population with improved sanitation increased

by 162 million people.342 million people in rural areas use sanitation facilities which do not

meet minimum standards of hygiene.93 million people in rural areas do not use any sanitation facility and

practices open defecation. That is 53 million less than in 1990.2 out of 3 people in East Asia and the Pacific without sanitation

facilities lives in rural areas.

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Population practising open defecation in Population practising open defecation in countries with highest prevalence in 2006 countries with highest prevalence in 2006

(millions)(millions)

6Source: Status and Trends Drinking Water and Sanitation in East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF

Impact of Impact of EnvironmentEnvironment on health on healthAn estimated 24% of the global disease burden

and 23% of all deaths can be attributed to environmental factors. Of these diarrhoeal contribute around 5% of global disease burden.

94% of the diarrhoeal disease burden is associated with unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

In India, 7.8% of all deaths are due to water, sanitation and hygiene related.

In India, 9.4% of DALY’s lost due to WSH related diseases.

SANITATION AND HEALTH SCENARIO SANITATION AND HEALTH SCENARIO Child Mortality Rate was very high.Drop-out of girls from schools was high.More than fifty diseases including

diarrhoea, cholera, poliomyelitis, etc. have been reported because of defecation in open due to lack of toilets.

Public places like railway stations, bus stops, religious and tourist places, had no provision of public toilets.

British Medical Journal conducted survey amongst experts and medical professionals to identify the best medical breakthroughs and scientific advances of the past 150 years - Sanitation Voted the Greatest Advance since 1840.

In 60s, the sanitation situation was dismal, both in urban and rural India. A few towns had partial sewerage system and a small population were connected to septic tanks.

Defecation in the open and manual cleaning of human excreta by the class of people called ‘scavengers’ were prevalent. Rural areas hardly had any toilet.

Provision of sanitation in India is decentralized and primarily rests with local government bodies. The State and Central governments have facilitating role: framing policies/guidelines, financing, capacity-building and monitoring.

NGO’s did not play any major role.

SANITATION SCENARIO IN INDIA- SANITATION SCENARIO IN INDIA- 19601960SS

SANITATION SCENARIO SANITATION SCENARIO Asia, Africa & Latin America lagged in adopting the

technologies of septic tank & sewerage system as these were not economically affordable.

Just for example, the sewers were laid in Kolkata, India in 1870 and after 140 years only 269 towns/cities out of 5161 towns are sewer based and that too partially. At this rate, without further growth of towns and cities, it will take 3000 years to provide sewerage system in urban India.

Women, the worst sufferers, had to go out for open defecation in the dark – before sunrise or after sunset. Their dignity was at risk, subjected to criminal assaults and occasionally suffer from snake bites.

SANITATION PRESENT SITUATION - INDIA SANITATION PRESENT SITUATION - INDIA According to WHO-UNICEF Joint monitoring programme

(2008 Status), 54% of urban household use latrine and another 21% use shared latrine. For rural areas the figures are 21% and 4% respectively. However, as per Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, GOI, the districts were reporting rural Sanitation coverage of 68% in 2010.

It has been observed in India (Total Sanitation Campaign) and in Countries like Combodia (CITS), that sanitation prog. that neglect sustainable technology and adopt cheap, unscientific and environmentally unsustainable sanitation facilities, achieve Hygiene Behaviour Change in short term but face revarsal of behavior in the long term. (Reverting back to open defecation).

Need for New Technological Need for New Technological OrderOrder

In later part of 60’s, Dr. Pathak felt the need for a new technological order to overcome the problem of human scavenging, stop defecation in open and safe and hygienic disposal of human wastes.

WHO publication on ‘Excreta Disposal for Rural Areas and Small Communities’ by two sanitation engineers, Edmund A. Wagner and J.N. Lanoix, left a lasting lifetime’s impression in Dr. Pathak’s mind. The book mentioned:

“Suffice it to say here that out of the heterogeneous mass of latrine designs produced all over the world, the sanitary pit privy emerges as the most practical and universally applicable type.”

Turning to the role of an Turning to the role of an EngineerEngineer

• The suggestions in WHO publication were for the application of this technology only in rural areas. •However, Dr. Pathak thought that for the soil conditions of rural and urban areas, the same technology can be used.

• He concluded that this technology, after some improvement, could be a viable alternative to scavenging.

•Keeping this in view, he innovated, modified and developed alternatives to suit the urban conditions; at the same time, making many new designs for different site conditions.

WHO criteria for sanitary latrineWHO criteria for sanitary latrineSeven conditions to meet the criteria for a Sanitary

Latrine:

• The surface soil should not be contaminated. • There should be no contamination of the ground water that

may enter by way of springs or wells. • There should be no contamination of the surface water. • Excreta should not be accessible to flies or animals. • There should be no handling of fresh excreta. Or, when this

was indispensable, it should be restricted to the barest minimum.

• There should be freedom from odours or unsightly conditions.

• The method used should be simple and inexpensive in construction and operation.

Technological InnovationTechnological InnovationThe perusal of WHO’s books helped Dr. Pathak to develop a technology which has proved to be revolutionary. This was the first small step in the long journey of many thousand miles towards eradicating untouchability and social discrimination. Dr. Pathak founded the Sulabh International Social Service Organization in 1970 with a purpose to:•restore the human rights and dignity of the untouchable scavengers;•help stop defecation in the open; and •provide safe and hygienic toilets to all.

Technologies DevelopedTechnologies DevelopedDr. Pathak invented, innovated and developed the following technologies: 

1.Sulabh two-pit, pour-flush, compost toilet for individual household use.2.Sulabh Public toilet on ‘Pay and Use’ for public places in non-sewered areas.3.Biogas Digester linked to Sulabh Public Toilet for biogas generation.4.Sulabh Effluent Treatment Plant for treatment of water discharged from biogas plant.

Sulabh technologies are scientifically appropriate, economically affordable, indigenous and culturally acceptable and take care of untouchability. Scavengers have been liberated through Sulabh ‘Nai Disha’ programme from the sub-human occupation of cleaning and carrying human excreta as head-load for its disposal.

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Ceramic Pan with 25° to 28° slope – it needs only 1-1.5 litre of water per flushing due to steep slope and P - trap

PVC P – trap is between 12-20 mm water seal which does not allow the gases or the smell from the pit to enter the toilet

Where there is no factory or availability of PVC trap, anyone can pre-cast it so that it is not a constraint.

Pan and P -trap of Sulabh Pan and P -trap of Sulabh toilettoilet

The manure is taken out from the pit by the beneficiaries without involving scavengers as it is odourless, pathogen-free, semi-solid containing 1.8% nitrogen, 1.6% phosphate and 1% potassium.

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Taking out of manure from pit of a Sulabh toilet

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Manure from Human Excreta

High yield of fruits High yield of crops

The manure is a rich fertiliser and soil conditioner which improves the productivity of the field and fruits and flowers, when used for agriculture/ horticulture.

Manure from Sulabh two-pit ToiletManure from Sulabh two-pit Toilet

Manure obtained in Sulabh two-pit toilet from one person is 40kgs. per year So, manure obtained from 6 billion people is 6 billion x 40kgs. =240 billion kgs. or 240 million tones in a year

If, cost of 1kg. manure is Rs 5.00 or US 10 cent

Then cost of 240 million tones of manure produced will be Rs. 12, 00,000 million or US$24,000 million 

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The Sulabh toilet can be constructed in the minimum possible space –courtyard of a house or in the bedroom.

The Sulabh toilet can be constructed in the minimum possible space

Sulabh pour-flush toilet for linear space with common dividing wall in a narrow lane23

The Sulabh toilet can be constructed in the minimum possible space

Sulabh pour-flush toilet for least space with the toilet on top of the pits24

The Sulabh toilet can be constructed in the minimum possible space

The Sulabh toilet can be constructed in areas where the water-table is high, in waterlogged, flood prone and high sub-soil water areas where the pits could be raised.

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Sulabh toilets can be constructed in the upper floors of buildings.

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The platforms on the Sulabh pits can be used for chopping fish.

Different uses of Sulabh two-pit, pour-flush toilets platformsDifferent uses of Sulabh two-pit, pour-flush toilets platforms

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The platforms on the Sulabh pits can be used for chaffing grains

Different Designs of Sulabh two-pit, Different Designs of Sulabh two-pit, pour - flush, compost Toiletpour - flush, compost Toilet

• The Sulabh toilet has been designed in such a way that the poorest of the poor, middle class and even the rich people can have the facilities of Sulabh toilets because the cost of construction is affordable and can vary from US$ 15 to US$ 1100.

• The technology remains the same, only the building materials differ and the period of cleaning of the pits. The minimum period of cleaning a pit is 2 years and maximum 40 years. Because the pits in the Sulabh toilets are earth based, having holes in the walls, gases are absorbed in the soil. This helps reduce global warming and improves the climate change.

Different designs of Sulabh two-pit, pour - flush, compost toiletDifferent designs of Sulabh two-pit, pour - flush, compost toilet

Cost – US $30 (Rs. 1500)

Model No. 1Model No. 1 Model No. 2Model No. 2

Cost – US $35 (Rs. 1750)

Cost – US $32 (Rs. 1600)

Model No. 3Model No. 3

The cheapest toilet with jute on all sides on bamboo frame

Model No. 4Model No. 4

Cost – US $50 (Rs. 2500)Superstructure made of thatched palm matting – affordable for poor people.

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Cost – US $53 (Rs. 2650)

Model No. 5Model No. 5

Thatched wall with roof on bamboo frame

Model No. 6Model No. 6

Cost – US $145 (Rs. 7250)

Brick wall with no door.

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Cost – US $152 (Rs. 7600)

Model No. 7Model No. 7

Brick wall with jute curtain.

Model No. 8Model No. 8

Cost – US $160 (Rs. 8000)Circular design without door and roof for people who want to enjoy sky and air with privacy.

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Model No. 9Model No. 9

Cost – US $185 (Rs. 9250)Toilet walls made of bricks with roof and

wooden door- more expensive.

Model No. 10Model No. 10

Cost – US $190 (Rs. 9500) Brick toilet for those people who can afford to spend more money

Cost – US $1100 (Rs. 55000)

Model No. 11Model No. 11

Even the rich can get constructed Sulabh two-pit, pour flush toilets where there is no sewerage. The pits can be cleaned after 40 years.

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Panoramic View of Different Designs of Sulabh Two-Pit, Pour-Flush, Compost Toilets

In the Sulabh two-pit technology there is flexibility of design which the beneficiary can choose depending upon his affordability and size of family.