My Observations on India's Issue Of Sanitation

Every Monday we go out and visit one of the villages around Jamkhed town. CRHP does not do their work in Jamkhed town because its mission is to serve the poorest of the poor. The majority of the project villages are in remote areas where no one wants to serve.

I am going to try to paint a picture for you of what the villages look like....

In the first village there were many small huts scattered around. The houses made from cement or bricks are for the people of a higher caste. Human and animal feces lined the sides of the roads; no drainage system, no house has a toilet. The wells are only located near the brick homes. In the second village most of the houses were built of brick and cement. Soak pits are built along the road to eliminate stagnant run-off water. the roads are pretty clean. Approximately half of the homes had toilets. but what was very interesting was that due to lack of space inside the homes, some built toilets on their rooftop!

If you ask anyone what is the biggest obstacle in helping the villages progress it is a unanimous response - SANITATION! Toilets more specifically. It's a concern that the villagers have a hard time adjusting to. This I think has to do with the culture itself.

First, you would have to understand the caste system in India. The lowest caste does the dirty work - the work that no one else wants to do. Therefore, if you as a higher caste member (example Brahmin) have a toilet in your home, who would clean it? No one wants to clean the toilet so it is easier to use a bucket and take care of your "business" in the open air. While I hear conditions have improved there are still many improvements to be made.

Is there an easy answer or solution? I personally think, for sanitary purposes, the western toilets would not be the best solution. A modern version of latrines would be best and prevent the spread of infections.


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Photo Source: Sanitation Update