"The major type of latrine used by the households was flush/pour-flush to septic tank in both rural and urban areas. About 50.9 percent of the households in rural areas and 48.9 percent of the households in urban areas used flush/pour-flush to septic tank type of latrine."

Hi Elisabeth,

The data on types of toilets is in the last Census 2011. The latest one is underway and will provide new insights. You can see the report at www.mospi.gov.in/documents/213904/301563...f1-548d-0f75bc0fc665. The report is too large to arrach.

It also answers Natalie's question on types of toilets.

Regards,
Nitya

Thank you that would be great and very appreciated!
Natalie

Hey Nathalie,
I am aware of biogas plants connected to toilets being tested in some coastal towns in the state of Kerala, India. But as much as I know they were tried before the SBM. They surely were subsidised ,but not sure who funded them. An organisation named Maithri, based in Wadakkancheri (near Palakkad) was involved  and provided technical support. My former colleague surveyed some of these installed units but they are not on SuSanA. I'll check with them and add to this post as and when I have more information.

Hope this helps. 

regards
paresh

Hi Nathalie,
Did you find an answer in the meantime? (for your question: "Are the biodigester toilets funded under the SBM?") I've also sent a message to Sachin Joshi in case he/she knows.

To all,
I feel that for people outside of India it can be quite hard to really understand what's going on with the "Swachh Bharat Mission" / Clean India mission. When I look at the government's websites they look quite confusing & overwhelming to me, like this one for the urban part of SBM: swachhbharaturban.gov.in/

Luckily we have a fairly good Wikipedia article about it (Paresh did some work on it, too, thanks Paresh): 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swachh_Bharat_Mission

It would be good if the content that we discuss here in this thread would also make its way into said Wikipedia article. 

For example, I wonder if content like what Nitya posted could be converted into encyclopedic language and backed up with reliable, accessible sources:

The government has been agnostic to toilet technology but has backed the twin leach pit mostly. However, more than a third of rural toilets use some sort of storage, misnamed as septic tanks. The rest are twin leach pits, single leach pits or some other variation. Ecosan has been a non-starter.

Perhaps Nitya's book could be used as a source for this statement (not ideal because the book is not freely available but could be used nevertheless, if we knew the page number where this information can be found).

Does anyone else feel a need for a better Wikipedia article on SBM and have good ideas on how to get there? Can the required work be included in someone's day job rather than as a hobby?
The nice thing about a Wikipedia article is that it will be neutral and objective, unlike government websites which might be overly positive. (Good point, Paresh where you said “Today, rural India has declared itself open defecation-free. ”... )
 
Regards,
Elisabeth

Sorry meant to reply to Sachin Joshi. But if anyone else on this thread can answer my question that would be great .

On the document here (mnre.gov.in/img/documents/uploads/77e0a4...974a0429d1e39001.pdf) it says that the NNBOMP can be co-implemented alongside the SBM but not what that entails?

Thank you!
Natalie

Hello,

Are the biodigester toilets funded under the SBM? I have been looking to see if there are any known subsidisation/funding links between the domestic biogas programme (and the subsidies provided if toilets are connected 164.100.94.214/biogas) and the SBM subsidies? I can't find any information that biogas toilets are subsidised under SBM?

If you have any knowledge of this and could pass it on that would be great.

Thank you so much!

Natalie

Hey Elisabeth,
I'll try to answer your two questions: 

(1) About this statement: "Eight States have been certified as 100% ODF". How reliable is this kind of data, given that e.g. a city like Mumbai has been declared as 100% ODF simply by ignoring all the people living in slums (??). See e.g. here:  forum.susana.org/india/23031-un-ihe-delf...tion-in-mumbai#27156

I think there is a broad agreement that none of the states is ODF. The local governments declared themselves ODF once they achieved their construction  targets. The states declared themselves ODF once all the LGs declared themselves ODF. The Prime Minister in his speech on 2nd Oct 2019 didn't declare India ODF instead said (very strategic selection of words)

“Today, rural India has declared itself open defecation-free. ” (Source: The Hindu ) 

Hopefully the next Census will reveal the true picture. That said, there is no denying that India accelerated access to toilets through SBM. 

(2) Could someone tell us more about the practical workings of the NFSSM Alliance (National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance)? For example, do they also have a website and discussion forum?

My understanding is that the Alliance has been formed by the BMGF with all their grantees and other donor and international organisations. It does have a website  and the Secretariat is hosted by Dasra. I am not sure if they have an online discussion forum, but certainly have internal communication channels. BMGF grantees also come together annually. Recordings of 2019 meeting are available on Dasra's YT channel here:   

I'll also try to get somebody to tell us more about NFSSM Alliance and its working.

Regards
paresh

Hi, Nitya

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate it so much. 

Regards

Cheng

Hi Cheng,

Chary's email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The government has been agnostic to toilet technology but has backed the twin leach pit mostly. However, more than a third of rural toilets use some sort of storage, misnamed as septic tanks. The rest are twin leach pits, single leach pits or some other variation. Ecosan has been a non-starter.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Nitya

thanks for sharing, Elisabeth.

I just read the PPT, and I have some questions. Do you have email of Prof. V. Srinivas Chary?

I can't find on internet. I am interested in National Urban Sanitation Policy-2030 (Draft).  I hope to know more. 

Kind regards

Cheng

I spotted a presentation about India at the FSM5 Conference and think it fits into this discussion thread:

Faecal Sludge & Septage Management in India: Journey towards SDG 6.2
Prof. V. Srinivas Chary
fsm5.susana.org/images/FSM_Conference_Ma...---19-2-2019-3pm.pdf

It says in there:

The national government has identified
treatment as the next big challenge, post ODF,
as evidenced by key sub-missions under flagship
government schemes.

That's good (and should have been obvious from the start...).

I have two questions:
(1)
About this statement: "Eight States have been certified as 100% ODF". How reliable is this kind of data, given that e.g. a city like Mumbai has been declared as 100% ODF simply by ignoring all the people living in slums (??). See e.g. here: forum.susana.org/india/23031-un-ihe-delf...tion-in-mumbai#27156

(2)
Could someone tell us more about the practical workings of the NFSSM Alliance (National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance)? For example, do they also have a website and discussion forum?

Regards,
Elisabeth