Discussion Guest Moderator: A. K. Singh, Sulabh International, New Delhi

Posted 20 June 2007

I am pleased to be invited to seek the help of the Water Community for my chosen task. At the Visioning Workshop of the Water Community in March 2007, I volunteered to act as a "convener" for engaging the Community in addressing this important topic. This e-discussion continues the conversations on the topic from the workshop towards a possible action group assignment for the Community on Strategies for Scaling up Rural Sanitation Coverage.

From Gyanendra Mishra, UDAAN, Aligarh

Posted 19 April 2007

Dear Sir/Madam,

I work for an NGO called UDAAN in Aligarh and neighbouring districts. We provide training to Gram Pradhans, motivators, village functionaries and other stakeholders on water and sanitation issues. We also support the Government in the Total Sanitation Campaign in mobilising the community for construction of low cost leach pit toilets at village level. Additionally, we implement force lift handpumps in schools to lift and store water without motor and electricity. This has made many school toilets usable, which had become defunct due to non-availability of water.

From Bhawna Vajpai, The Loomba Trust, New Delhi

Posted 7 July 2008

I work for the UK based Loomba Trust, committed to upgrading and constructing water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools under its WASH initiatives. We aim to work in 1,000 schools across India (rural areas and small towns) in collaboration with state governments.

Original Query: V. Kurian Baby, Socio-Economic Unit Foundation (SEUF), Kerala

Posted: 3 August 2006

Reforms in water and sanitation (watsan) sector have by now become institutionalized through: (a) pilot testing of alternate service delivery models by donors and GoI in selected locations and subsequent scaling up into programmes such as Swajaldhara and TSC across the country; (b) evidences of community acceptance, confidence and credibility in genuine reforms (c) demonstrated willingness to pay for assured, reliable and quality water services demonstrated at community level and (d) vesting watsan governance as a desirable responsibility to PRIs.

From Indira Khurana, WaterAid India, New Delhi

Posted 20 June 2007

You are aware that the Nirmal Gram Puruskar (NGP) has been instituted to “add vigour” to the Total Sanitation Campaign. In 2007, the National Committee on Nirmal Gram Puraskar selected 4,437 Gram Panchayats and Block Panchayats from 22 states for awards under NGP. The number of award winners has risen from 40 in 2005, 769 in 2006 to 4437 in 2007. These awards were given by His Excellency the President of India Shri A P J Abdul Kalam.

From Ajit Saxena, UNDP, New Delhi

Posted 26 April 2007

While working as an engineer in the water and sanitation (watsan) projects in Madhya Pradesh, I have seen that successful implementation of watsan programmes depends on balanced use of both software and hardware components. Thus, in addition to successful behaviour change communications, hardware support for implementation of watsan programmes is crucial. This ideally includes low cost construction material such as toilet pans, pit covers, squatting plates, drains, and material for superstructure.

Original Query: Meeta Jaruhar, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jharkhand

Posted 30 August 2006

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Jharkhand is implementing the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), of which Sanitation in Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) is an important component. As we all know, AWC is a centre where children below 6 years, Anganwadi workers and also sometime members of Mahila Mandal gathers. Therefore, to start appropriate sanitation behaviour we are planning to have toilet facilities in these centres.

From Lizette Burgers, UNICEF, New Delhi

Posted 20 October 2008

The South Asia Conferences on Sanitation (SACOSAN) are high-powered regional ministerial conferences that discuss sanitation. They help develop a regional agenda on sanitation, enable learning from experiences and plans for the future. The objectives are to accelerate sanitation and hygiene coverage, and enhance peoples’ quality of life in keeping with the Millennium Development Goals and the commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 1992. Till date, two conferences have been held at Bangladesh (2003) and Pakistan (2006).

From Benny George, Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, New Delhi

Posted 19 July 2007

I work as a Consultant (Monitoring and Evaluation) with the Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. As you are aware, the Department is implementing a number of programmes for ensuring the supply of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities in rural areas of India. According to the latest estimates, sanitation coverage in India has reached 44 per cent. Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), implemented by the Department, aims to achieve full sanitation coverage by 2012, well ahead of the targets set under MDG 7. The Nirmal Gram Puraskar has given a fillip to achieving open defecation free status and some states like Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura are on the verge of achieving full sanitation coverage.

Original Query: Prema Gera, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), New Delhi

Posted: 22 November 2005

UNDP has been supporting NGOs working in the area of community-based water resources management for some years now. The local communities comprising self-help groups, community-based organisations, water-users groups and federations have been experiencing a range of conflicts over water use both within communities as well as with external stakeholders in the area.