Dear all,

This has been most interesting. I thank each of you for taking out time to read and respond. My special thanks for Sujoy who has led this topic and contributed immensely to the discussions.

I would like to draw attention to a posting on another thread, forum.susana.org/279-knowledge-managemen...sh-partners-in-india, that talks about a community of practice of Gate Foundation partners in India. They work mostly on FSM, one of the issues in a post-ODF world.

With this, we are starting the second topic of this discussion on manual scavengers and sanitation workers. Please visit this thread to see Ankit Tulsyan's opening comments and respond - forum.susana.org/swachh-bharat-abhiyan-i...ual-scavengers#26062. This topic will be open till 15 September.

Regards
Nitya

(Posted on behalf of Phyllis Ruth)

A great piece Sunetra, you have said it all.

Its true that for one to develop a working behaviour change communication program, one really needs to understand why people do things the way they do them, their perception on the issue you want to address and what they have been doing concerning the situation because for any health issue you will find that the community has some way of handling it no matter how primitive it may be. Having understood their perception they help them understand any gaps that may be existing and them from that point engage them in knowing how best will they handle the situation now from the point of full knowledge of the health issue.

Phyllis

To summarise the notings : 7 Nos. actions need to be done and reviewed.
Well wishes.

The Swachh Bharat Mission has opened the flood gates to get the medallion of open defecation free (ODF) status. As 2019 approaches more districts and states will declare themselves ODF. Of late the entire system is in a hara-kiri for ODF although this was not the case when the program was launched. When this happens, there will be slippages as experienced earlier in the Nirmal Gram Yojna. As we are celebrating our ODF achievement, sustainability of these achievement is a bigger challenge. Toilets that has been constructed-what are their lives? Will these toilet remain for lifelong? Are their any system for Faecal Sludge management(FSM)? Do our system have anybody (Swachhagrahi, motivator, frontline worker etc.) to undertake the constant dialogue with the community on sanitation and hygiene promotion post ODF). As we all know that our institutions (schools, AWCs, health care centres) are critical elements in our society. Inadequate and inappropriate WASH facilities with poor O&M in the institutions act as barrier to children’s attendance, performance and growth in schools, especially for girls. Also improved WASH facilities in health care centres will give less burden on health care systems.
Waste management, both solid and liquid waste are needed to be managed and for it some private houses, entrepreneurs are needed to do it. The system has to be flexible for more agencies to be roped in. Post construction, ODF sustainability is a herculean task with lot many components gets added because now you don't have a clear battle ground but surrounded by tasks that demands more of effective BCC, knowledge and localized innovations that suits our environment.
Some things that are needed to be popularized and to be done are
1. Showing the efficacy of toilet manure. Pit digging and its advocacy along with the use of the 2nd leach pit is needed to be promoted widely
2. Innovations on FSM has to be done. Treatment plants etc are needed to be established at block level or a cluster of blocks. Other wise after year wise our environment will be in danger. Private bodies can be involved with some incentives
3. Toilet life has to be defined and hence promote upgradation
4. Institutional toilets are needed to be functional and these can be a centre for developing habits on safe hygiene practices.
5. Involve more of SHGs in MHMs-production, marketing and delivery
6. Annual identification of Sanitation Icons/ODF-S icons from village level, GP level, Block level, District level to State level.
7. A dedicated worker (Swachhagrahi/motivator) is needed for an year post ODF to guide the community (as many would be the first generation users) for safe sanitation and hygiene promotion in a village. The communication channel should not break.

Dear Sanchita,

Thanks for your considered input. Yes, motivation for behaviour change has to be strong and appealing to the subject. And as is said in sports, it is easier to reach the top, than too stay there. Achieving ODF status is/has been very difficult, but sustaining the status would probably be harder.
As a District Collector said recently, 'achieving ODF was the responsibility by Government (districts), maintaining ODF will have to be the responsibility of the the GP/Community'.

The questions include :
'what all needs to be done by the Government to facilitate the ODF sustainability process?'
What should a 10 year strategy of the Government post 2019 look like?
Should the government give funds to the GPs, to the Districts?
Should manpower be provided at GP level - like paying Swachhgrahis? For how long?

These questions need answers.

Dear Aditya,

Good to learn of your experiences from rural Maharashtra. It is without doubt that , the participation of the HHs in decision making regarding their toilets leads to better quality of toilets construction, better O&M and increased usage. In a top driven approach , only one technology is pushed. The Govt has intentionally promoted the pour flush twin pit toilet as it is SDG compliant. However the 'why' also needs to be effectively communicated. That is exactly why this discussion of SBCC is important. And yes, Children can be effective communicators - specially in HHs with '1st generation school goers'.

Thank you .

Some interesting suggestions - Controlled OD area. While it may be a practical approach for some time, I do not see this being taken up by government as a policy.
Natural treatment of all streams seems a good practical solution. very practical even in rural areas.

Thank you for the message.
It is important that improved service delivery of sanitation services from government department and local bodies, needs to go hand-in-hand with SBCC. Orienting and capacitating service providers is very important.

(Posted onbehalf of Indira Dasgupta)

Dear All,
When in Rural India,
1. Try to make the the toilet twice the size you normally make . To allow
the possibility of undressing and dressing.

2. Try to make a privacy wall.

3. Make toilets separate for men and women - the family feeling on use of
toilet is based on gender rather than bet generations.

4. Do make the roof breathable ! Or make gas vent

5. A =E2=80=98chaubaccha=E2=80=99 ( bengali) would be excellent istead of =
a faucet .

6. Liquid soap dispensers may actually work better if touch free.


Bests in the onward struggle

Prof. C Indira Dasgupta
9810816150

The pluses and the S' do not change the overarching philosophy of campaigns like these. Movements that spur and shock people to shift to safe practices will continue to need the nurture and gentle push to keep at it.

Let's look at examples other than sanitation. When people choose healthy eating practices to lose weight, it is often time bound and measurable. As soon as that target is achieved (often over months), most people slip back to old habits. Other than the fact that human beings act irrationally, what could be the real cause behind falling behind despite months of mental and physical investment?

Experts would argue over and debate several factors and the science behind it whereas I would put my money on 'motivation.' How do I keep myself motivated to stay the course? How do I motivate others around me?

This applies to the sanitation situation too. I feel that a lot of investment will be required to keep individuals committed and communities motivated, to strengthen ground level institutions through capacity building and regular flow of communication.

I was reading about the IL&FS case study in the compendium by India Sanitation Coalition that highlighted how they used their CSR investments for O&M and sustainability in Gujarat. That is perhaps a model worth looking at.

Finally, the trick lies in managing the difficulty level of the campaign at this stage, which will be twice as high given that this time there will possibly be neither a carrot (incentive) nor a stick (sanctions) to influence behaviors.

My two pence,
Sanchita

Respected Sir,
I am a student of WASH in TISS, Tuljapur and I have little experience regarding the same. I don't know about the total behaviour change which you listed but while interacting with community in the villages, I realized that the safety and security of children and women of the house are the major driving force to use toilet. However, the push factor by the government is leading to poor construction but wherever the community or the individual household is involved in taking the decision independently have shown a great pull towards the regular use of toilet. It is also important to know that the community have very limited information about technologies available and cheaper alternatives which is leading towards the poor construction of toilets.
Children are the major agent of change which can infiltrate any community. The practices given in the schools can translate into change of behaviour in the family. This is a case of a student in Delhi.

Kind Attn. Mr Sujoy Mojumdar.

It indeed is difficult to comprehend.. status as ODF..ODF+..ODF-S..etc.
I do understand all this keeping a paper note to assist in understanding abbreviations.

As a person having passion on this specific subject on holistic sanitation- principles and practices, and in general on this subject, wish to offer my comments as below:

1. As regards OD it would be seen that still 25% of the urban poor and many rural communities opt to follow the old conventional practice.. for varied valid reasons

Hence it would be prudent to have these spaces where the communities use for OD presently as for Controlled OD.
Carrying out OD in a controlled manner.

Next level plan and have similar area in order to plan COD...area wise same space for alternating use..

ie..one in use for 3-4 weeks and the other on O&M. for a month or so for operation and maintain practices..

All the human sludge are cleaned removed off the COD-space on O&M and co composted with bio mass cow dung as starter etc..and manure is created for use in agri farms etc..

The success is felt when the waste is utilised as a resource and the project is sustained..

All manure used for veg. gardens etc..

2. In many poor urban belts with no STPs, operational, all ww gets released without any treatment for varied reasons with ULBs..

At all these locations it is best to design and plan STPs ( process ) working on natural treatment..

The proposal as suggested below, no doubt would sound not in order ie issuing a feeling of " No confidence on ULBs"

But the reality is to be sensed and aptly one has to initiate corrective action for ensuring better quality of living in communities.

Natural treatment at all streams to be carried out as the flow is maintained.

Wherever the effluent streams from communities meet the bigger drain channel at the location of confluene point have deep ponds ( dug outs ) done.

What exactly happens is the solids and sediments get settled, consolidated to be compacted over time.

All these matter is desilted/ dredged and left on banks to dry and removal for bio- remediation and to compost pits.

At this location if a road or a lane exists. it would serve for using a mechanised version of desilter, dredger dumper to clear debries ex community drains .etc.

These accumulations are valuable to be composted and used as manure.

3. If a cesspool in the flow channels exists it could be used for treatmnt process on Dewats principles and practices.

The remedied water is recycled for growing.. floats having plants- elephant grass..
This plant sp. is used for feeding live stock cattle. goats pigs and ducks etc.

4. 2 Nos SHG s are created one for growng feed. Another SHG for taking care of live stock for commercial interest etc

The above notings are issued as guidance for doing environmental good and social benefits etc. in communities.
( Kind courtesy - CURE, Delhi Ngo)

Prof Ajit Seshadri.
Vels Unversity. Chennai. INDIA