[se-decn] CONSOLIDATED REPLY: IEC and BCC under Swachh Bharat Mission- Examples; Experiences
Tina Mathur
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Solution Exchange for the Decentralization Community
Consolidated Reply
Query: IEC and BCC under Swachh Bharat Mission- Examples; Experiences
Compiled by Tina Mathur, Resource Person
Issue Date: 20 July 2016
From Joy Elamon, Inter-cooperation Social Development India, New Delhi
Posted 15 March 2016
Sanitation and hygiene are powerful drivers of human development as they affect our quality of life at many levels including improved health and economic status. The Clean India Movement launched through the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) by the Prime Minister of India is a step towards that direction.
The Government of India has taken every effort to promote cleanliness in the country through constructing toilets (individual house hold latrines, community toilets and public toilets) and creating awareness among public for improved sanitation and hygiene, through advocacy, interpersonal communication and community mobilisation.
However there are policy level and implementation challenges that needs to be addressed. For example, the states are able to achieve their target of construction of toilets, however the usage is low. Infrastructure for solid waste management is existing, however, the cities are still not litter free. “A key strategy under SBM is behavior change communication to ensure that sanitation as an issue is mainstreamed with the general public at large and should cover issues of open defecation, prevention of manual scavenging, hygiene practices, proper use and maintenance of toilet facilities” (Guidelines for Swachh Bharat Mission). This will require preparation of action plans by states on Information, Education, Communication (IEC).
With this background, I would like to request esteemed members of Decentralization Community to give their inputs on the following:
· What could be the innovative methodology to increase awareness about the importance of healthy sanitation practices; to improve usage of toilets and discontinue open defecation (OD) practice?
· What global best practices are available in terms of technological solutions for IEC, especially for urban population?
· What are the innovative methods for measuring toilet usage?
Your inputs will help realize the objectives of SBM through improved sanitation and cleanliness practices of urban population in India.
Responses were received, with thanks, from
1. Shashikant Kumar, Green Eminent Resource Centre Vadodara
2. Suman Rawat, Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission, Mumbai , Maharashtra (Response 1; Response 2)
3. Bidyut Mohanty, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
4. Seema Chelat, KDS, Delhi
5. Debika Goswami, Governance and Policy Advocacy, Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon
6. Prakash Nayak, Independent Communication Consultant, Bhubaneswar (Response 1; Response 2)
7. Ranjan Mohapatra, Vision Consulting, New Delhi
8. Sathish G.P, UNDP, New Delhi
9. Govind Dhaske, WASH and Social Science Expert, Maharashtra
10. Amit Dwivedi, Community Radio Cell, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi
11. Pooja Murada, SM Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon
12. Bijoy Patro, OneWorld Foundation India, New Delhi (Response 1; Response 2)
13. T. Gangadharan, KSSP, Kannur
14. Pranab Kumar Chanda, Save the Children, New Delhi
15. Edwin M. John, Neighbourhood Community Network, Tamil Nadu
16. Sunil Kumar, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science
17. Yogesh Kumar, Samarthan, Bhopal
18. Rituu B Nanda, Constellation, India
19. Venkatrao Y Ghorpade, SHRIDI Foundation, Bangalore
20. Dhirendra Krishna, New Delhi
Further contributions are welcome!
Respondents to the query on promoting healthy sanitation practices as part of Swachh Bharat Mission, shared a rich mix of solutions and approaches that can help in achieving the aspired goals. Responding to the query, contributors outlined the problems hindering healthy sanitation practices including the shortage of facilities within toilets, such as water and flushing facilities, lack of cleanliness and the absence of knowledge regarding toilet usage. In addition, caste and gender differences as well as stigmas attached to household work prevent the desired goals from being achieved.
Members shared a range of suggestions for Information Education and Communication (IEC) for healthy sanitation practices and reduction of Open Defecation (OD) practices. Methods such as rallies and processions by student groups from colleges and schools can clearly communicate the message, as can the use of posters and slogans. From the operational point of view, formulation of IEC strategies that are state and district specific based upon geographical, social and cultural settings are required. These would help in identifying the causes, effects and solutions to OD practices in specific areas so as to reduce them. The qualitative assessment of existing toilets would help in increasing their usage. Members suggested that the focus should be directed at “Quality” and “Quick Access” in addition to “Quantity” or numbers of toilets. Regular monitoring of Public Toilets by authorities and their assessment would also strengthen usage, through the identification of barriers to usage. Respondents dwelt on the role of Community Radios as being important in spreading the message. Further it is a forum that enables people to discuss such issues. Sensitizing school children and distribution of toilet cleaning material at ration stores would be other means of IEC campaigns.
In addition respondents highlighted the following approaches to promote healthy sanitation practices:
· IEC messaging should be knowledge based and not target based. This should have the buy in of the administrative authorities
· The approach to tackling sanitation could be given a social science perspective which would make it more culture based as opposed to target based techniques.
· The approach to spreading awareness should be process based rather than target based implying that it should be a continuous effort instead of event based efforts. Moreover, the assessment of results should be impact oriented instead of a study of outputs for the given inputs.
Respondents discussed various strategies related to behaviour change communication (BCC) including for urban populations. Coordination between district administration and federations like hawkers' associations, youth associations, RWAs etc. for BCC and encouraging voluntary compliance on the part of people would be one such strategy. Self motivated individuals as Swachhta Doots can help in spreading public awareness. Members suggested that the use of media in spreading awareness is imperative. While the varied methods include advertisements on TV by famous personalities, pictures of champions and polluters on Facebook, messages and posters about people using toilets and their benefits, these means should also convey the message in an understandable and gender sensitive manner. Moreover, community based communication instead of that of individual households would be more effective- that too in a decentralized manner. Here, as one group is sensitized, the other would follow. The role of women in educating their households and social as well as institutional spheres is important since the social and household level sanitation knowledge transfer/diffusion and its enduring impact on behavior change are highly gender-deterministic.
Members suggested that IEC and BCC campaign materials should not only promote toilet usage, but also promote how to use the toilets. In addition, these materials should be culturally sensitive and emerging from the communities instead of being an imposition from external entities. Local creation of materials with the help of local artists, folklore and folk art in the local language would enhance effectiveness of IEC and BCC. Caste and class analysis for IEC and BCC campaigns is also essential. Respondents further suggested that a strength based approach for spreading awareness would help more than an external agency directing a community which leads to dependency. This would help communities in assessing their own strengths resulting in a more organic response to the problem. The Constellation's community life competence approach would be one such approach.
Discussants made valuable suggestions for innovative measurement for toilet usage. They suggested that motivated self-reporting for households and biometric methods for centralized sanitary complex models would be of use. An integrated system of measurement with different institutions having different roles could be a useful approach. More complex and integrated methods like measurement of soap from the local rural distribution were also suggested by respondents. Members further outlined methods such as discussions about toilet usage among various communities in their places of work which would help in measuring the toilet usage in these areas. In addition, technological solutions like mobile based monitoring systems would be intensive, but accurate. Here, a shortage of toilet resources, can be recorded along with a sanitation mapping system that can show toilet usage among different local government networks.
Respondents mentioned specific tools and approaches for promoting healthy sanitation practices as part of SBM, which may be seen in the sections below.
Haryana
Community Radio highlights behavior change problems and solutions in Mewat (from Pooja Murada, SM Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon)
The Alfaz-e-Mewat 107.8 initiative, broadcast episodes on sanitation. The theme was chosen from the issues identified by the community in group meetings, focused group discussions, and in-depth interviews, conducted under the formative research process. The radio programme series titled ‘Shochalay Mere Angana ‘(Toilet in my household), featured the apathy of women due to open defecation and other problems related to behavior towards sanitation.
Kerala
Kovalam Panchayat addresses sanitation through Neighborhood Parliaments (Edwin M. John, Neighbourhood Community Network, Tamil Nadu)
In Kovalam Panchayat, Neighborhood Parliaments provided a forum for participatory solid waste management. Each NPC had its own neighborhood ministers to attend to development concerns such as sanitation and appointed a “beautification worker” whose responsibility was to help make sure that the neighbourhood remained clean and presentable. The village turned out to be first village in Asia to win an ISO certification. Read more
Report Of Peoples Enquiry Commission On Women Friendless Of Bus Stand Toilets In Kannur District, Kerala (from T. Gangadharan, KSSP, Kannur)
Report; Available at: http://solutionexchange-un.net.in/ftp/decn/comm_update/res-101-210316-01.pdf (PDF; Size: 225 KB)
Highlights the survey undertaken to determine the efficiency toilet facilities for women in a district of Kerala so as to gauge the progress of healthy sanitation practices.
Osmanabad’s Sanitation Warriors-An initiative of the Zilla Parishad of Osmanabad (from Suman Rawat, Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission, Mumbai , Maharashtra; response 1)
Report; UNICEF; April 2015
Available at: http://sbm.gov.in/SBMGUpload/Third%20Gender%20document%20on%20IPC.pdf (PDF; Size: 10.4 MB)
Documents the initiative of gainfully employing trans gender individuals to spread the message of toilet usage in the community, an effective BCC strategy
List of Active Community Radio Stations in India (from Amit Dwivedi, Community Radio Cell, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi)
Available at: http://www.mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Operational_._1.pdf (PDF; Size: 91 KB)
A list of active community radio stations in India, generating awareness on a range of social issues including sanitation
Basic Sanitation in Rural India: Road map for ‘Swachh Bharat’ (from Venkatrao Ghorpade, SHRIDI Foundation, Bangalore)
Paper; by Venkatrao Ghorpade
Available at http://solutionexchange-un.net.in/ftp/decn/resource/res15031601.pdf (PDF; Size: 130 KB)
Identifies thirteen interlinked areas to provide complete rural sanitation. Concludes that adequate water to households in every village will lead to SBM success
From Tina Mathur, Resource Person
Integrated Communication Strategy for Creating Awareness on Sanitation and Hygiene Behaviour Change
Paper; by Arulchevan Sriram and Uma Maheswari; The International Journal of Communication and Health; Edition 1; 2013
Available at: http://communicationandhealth.ro/upload/number1/Integrated-Communication-Strategy-for-Creating-Awareness-on-Sanitation.pdf (PDF; Size: 428 KB)
Analyses awareness levels on sanitation, effectiveness of the prevailing IEC approach among rural Indians. Suggests an Integrated Communication Strategy.
Behaviour Change Communication Strategy on Sanitation and Hygiene
Report; UNHabitat; Nepal
Available at: http://www.unhabitat.org.np/publication/BCC_GSF.pdf (PDF; Size: 373 KB)
A Behaviour Change Communication Strategy for Nepal based on baseline analysis of sanitation and existing IEC and BCC interventions
Recommended Tools and Technologies
Constellation's Community Life Approach (from Rituu B Nanda, Constellation, India)
Available at: http://communitylifecompetence.org
A form of learning cycle where a community takes action and learns from its experience. That learning becomes the basis for another round of action and learning
Recommended Portals
Ek duniya, Ek Awaaz: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (from Bijoy Patro, OneWorld Foundation India, New Delhi; response 1)
http://edaa.in/programs_view.php?page=8&theme=21
Gives access to the various programmes on this community radio related to water sanitation issues finding an echo in the overall Swachh Bharat Mission.
Neighborhood Parliament (from Edwin M. John, Neighbourhood Community Network, Tamil Nadu)
www.neighborhoodparliament.org
Gives details of the initiative providing forum for people to discuss sanitation and solid waste management issues
Shashikant Kumar, Green Eminent Resource Centre Vadodara
There are a few points to ponder in Swachh Bharat Mission, which have an impact on the nature of IEC campaign and must be kept in mind while designing an IEC campaign:
a) Community Participation is lacking or minimum- the construction of toilets is fine, what about its cleanliness, water closets and households facilitation with water supply. Independent toilets without water surety at household level, the scheme becomes sanitary hazard if used. Less confidence of the people in usage due to sanitation attached with social issues in joint family system. Females and children may use, the male adults do not. Socio-cultural issues do not allow them to clean the toilets and there is a stigma attached to it. Campaign is a must for some of these issues.
b) Target Based: Focus on achieving the targets for toilets than having social change as method of increasing the sanitary practices. Urban areas, do not require awareness rather facilitation and space. With space a constraint for the houses, the public toilets are constructed but lack operation and maintenance from community. 'Sulabh' model did succeed but only in commercial areas, not in residential areas.
c) Hygiene as a comprehensive issue requires addressing a series of systems with the help of community, ULBs and technology. Integration must be reached through keeping the localities clean. Most of the capital intensive projects fail to get the community response and usage since it is targeted at convenience rather than population to be served. The cleaning of the major streets, collection of waste and disposal of garbage is questionable in most of the cities. When collected waste is dumped in heaps without much process the message to the people is 'eye wash'. Most of the dump sites are poor and citizens do not want to know what happens to the waste. Innovation is there in cities but does not attract the city managers attention everywhere.
d) Non Responsive administration: The seriousness of the sanitation issues is lacking within administration, the focus is shifted only when in campaign mode, there is lot of attention diverted to other issues which assume importance due to capital size and interest of the decision makers. The staff of the ULB is poorly managed or on contract; systems of hygiene and safety of personnel is poor. The lack of dignity attached to the sanitary work makes the life of workers difficult and limited to specific community. The society at large does not recognise their contribution and neglects their needs. Lack of mechanization or insufficient machines do not allow the clean city campaigns to succeed. It is sad that we have done piece meal expenditure when it comes to sanitary practices in cities.
e) Programme Survives along with budget: The ULBs though mandated to keep the city clean as per the law, make little departmental efforts beyond the limited budget allotted by centre or state. IEC on such issues is always starved of the funds thus lacks initiatives by the decision makers. Programmes lapse, then another cycle of programmes begins.
Suman Rawat, CEO, Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission, Mumbai , Maharashtra (response 1)
It's very heartening to note that Mr. Shashikant has enumerated very relevant points vis a vis the behavioural change and its reflection in the kind of IEC that exists or the lack of it in the Swachh Bharat Mission.
I had an occasion to contribute in the SBM in the drought prone and suicide prone district of Osmanabad of Maharashtra. Needless to say that in such ecology building toilets and the use of it is the last thing on the heads of the general populace. However, in this challengingly rural dry domain as the then CEO Zilla Parishad, I attempted to tweak with the IEC mechanism and took the services of the Third Gender Community to trigger behavioural change towards the building and use of toilets as well as perception change of general public towards the community itself. It is one effort which enabled me crack both and thus the initiatives stays very close to my heart.
Sharing below the document on it prepared by UNICEF and recognised by the Ministry of Water and Sanitation:
Available at : http://sbm.gov.in/SBMGUpload/Third%20Gender%20document%20on%20IPC.pdf.
However the most challenging thing is the sustainability of such efforts as after my transfer the effort was not carried forward by my successor, as I hear, in the same rhythm and enthusiasm. As Mr. Kumar rightly mentions that sanitation is not always the priority.
His points are very relevant when concerns the functioning of ULBs but similar situation obtains in PRIs too. With lower awareness and larger corruption in grassroots democracy, the essential sometimes gets a miss.
Looking forward to hearing more responses on this.
Bidyut Mohanty, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
I have been evaluating the use of latrines in the rural areas of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, hilly areas of Nilgiri and Rajasthan. In these models of sanitation, the micro-finance institutions(MFIs) give loan and are asked to construct the toilets. The MFIs in turn are supposed to monitor the use of the same. But invariably it was noticed that the people of hilly areas did not use toilets at all on the plea that open field is available. Secondly the Bengal model of building the toilets near the pond also did not work because it is always difficult to get the water from the pond. Similarly in Mayurbhanj households they built the toilets but did not use them because they had to get water from tube well from the nearby area. So all these problems exist in usage of toilets and sanitation facilities. But the Gujarat model worked to some extent because the children are also engaged along with the volunteers to create awareness. The children ring a bell as soon as they see a person is using the open field and this acts as a deterrent to open defecation. I hope these inputs are helpful towards creating IEC and BCC strategies under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Seema Chelat, KDS, Delhi
In the ongoing discussion regarding Swachh Bharat Mission and its follow up programmes, one aspect that was overlooked or got least preference by the different stakeholders involved is the habit of how to maintain a functional toilet. My attention was drawn towards this issue during a recent visit to Mathura.
Following are some of the observations made after visiting around 6 to 8 public comfort stations in the vicinity of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh:
· Around ten years back there were very few public toilet facilities available
· Most of them were non- functional as they lacked basic facilities like water, electricity, mugs etc.
· Majority of them were unhygienic even if water was available
· Presently there is a shift as more and more places are provided with toilet facilities
· Surprisingly most of them are tiled and functional (water, electricity, mugs etc were available)
· Unfortunately people do not know how to use the toilet
· This is irrespective of the fact that who uses these facilities (rich, poor, educated, illiterate, rural or urban etc.)
What is deduced from these observations is that
1. This is more of an attitudinal/perceptional issue
2. There is a lack of concern for the fellow citizens
3. Sometimes there may be lack of awareness.
These observations are not limited to Mathura only. So my submission to all the stake holders is that please include/highlight this aspect in the programme so that awareness towards the maintenance of public comfort stations can be created. This needs immediate attention as we are going to construct more and more toilets and public comfort stations in all the states under this scheme. Moreover, we are promoting Brand India as the tourist destination; this is our duty to offer cleaner public comfort stations to our guests.
Debika Goswami, Governance and Policy Advocacy, Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon
Governance in Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is the most recognized but most neglected aspect of SBM in both urban and rural pockets. Greater public awareness, citizen participation, active role of local bodies and transparent functioning of government departments are critical factors in effective implementation of the programme.
In order to make citizenry adopt a proactive role, there needs to be improved coordination between district administration and several federations like rickshaw pullers’ association, hawkers’ association, resident welfare associations, youth associations and clubs which are widely prevalent in any cityscape. Often it is seen that lack of coordination among these associations and government functionaries end up in poor solid and liquid waste management, toilet maintenance cum use and continuation of open defecation practices. It is important to increase awareness on benefits of good hygiene and sanitation habits and encourage greater citizen involvement through training members of such associations as behavior change will slowly lead to voluntary compliance on their part. Gradually they can make general public aware and withdraw them from doing actions which could damage the environment and dignity of human life.
Innovative methods such as sharing pictures of sanitation champions and polluters on Facebook page of municipal web sites, campaigns by citizens for "coming in top ten list of clean cities or towns in India" can create a buzz on sanitation in small towns. Methods such as rallies and processions by groups of students from schools, colleges and universities with posters and slogans promoting good hygiene practices can also increase public awareness and psychologically influence them.
Recruiting and recognizing self-motivated individuals as ‘Swachhta Doots’ or ambassadors of cleanliness on a voluntary basis by district administration could be another innovative idea in spreading public awareness. Students, teachers, sports persons, academicians or anyone with community leadership skills can render voluntary services for cleaner cities. All these efforts must be accompanied by popular IEC mediums like use of wall paintings, posters, advertisements in television and radio channels which can continuously influence the psyche of general citizens and encourage them to adopt good practices.
Stereotypically in India, women are given a higher stake in maintaining household cleanliness. But without active participation of both men and women holistic changes in sanitation behaviour will not be possible. Thus it is equally critical to do away with the gender divides and encourage men through innovative use of IEC to join hands with women for improving sanitation in cities. On the whole, involving all stakeholders in SBM planning , implementation and monitoring is the key to success.
Prakash Nayak, Independent Communication Consultant, Bhubaneswar (response 1)
Thank you very much for initiating discussion on IEC and BCC under Swachh Bharat Mission.
Other than supply issues, social and cultural barriers are the main stumbling blocks to stop Open Defecation (OD) practices in urban setting. Majority of the population staying in slums and temporary settlements lack basic sanitation facilities, wherever it is there, people do not use them. This could be attributed to their social and cultural practices in a new set up.
From the operational point of view, there is a need for a strategy or plan developed to carry out behaviour change has not taken place, which was to some extent articulated in SBA (Urban) but the document is more specific on content and operation and silent on generating evidences and M&E leading to behaviour change. Now the states could formulate state and district specific IEC strategies looking at the geographical, social and cultural setting of the urban areas.. The state specific strategy has to be inclusive of the social and cultural determinants and be adapted appropriately to State specific contexts and the revised targets of achieving Swachh Bharat by 2019.
Through assessment it will be easier to:
· Examine its manifestations, immediate causes, underlying causes and basic causes by asking the questions: why is this OD a problem? What are its results and effects? What are its determinants?
· Focus on the causes of the OD problem. Differentiate between behavioural and non-behavioural causes of the problem identified
· Formulate a problem statement: what is happening, why, what are the consequences, what (additional) research might needed.
For the benefit of the subject, let me give one such example in an eastern Indian city. In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, a rapid assessment on World Toilet Day, 2015 (19th November) was carried out on use of public toilets. The findings were well covered in local and national dailies published from the state. Bhubaneswar city, better known as Temple City is the top ranked in the first list of smart cities and attracts lots of tourists. Bhubaneswar- Konark and Puri forms the Golden Triangle in Odisha from the tourism point of view and during winter, tourists from the rest of the country and outside visit the city.
Like past years, Dr. Piyush Ranjan Rout, an urban planner carried out a survey covering 15 Public Toilets featured around Old Town, Railway Station, Bus Stops and inside city on understanding how many foreigners used the Public Toilet from the voice of caretaker and also interviewed about 35 (27 Male 8 Female) foreigners to understand whether they ever used public toilet and where they do go actually when they need to use toilet? and last but not the least where the shop owners and their guest (19 Shops) goes for toilet if they required ?
The result did surprise us and provided some insights that Bhubaneswar City needs to take care of:
First: The Caretakers expressed they do not have experience of any foreigners ever having used their public toilets.
Second: Except three foreigners none of the rest ever used a public toilet in Bhubaneswar. To use toiltes, they have returned back to their hotels or places where they were staying at worst they do request some hotels around to access toilet, sometimes they get access, sometimes they do not get access.
Third: Most of the shops in Bhubaneswar except in larger size does not have facility of Toilet inside their shops. So when they feel of toilets they approach open spaces or they managed their toilets time with frequent residence visit and they feel embraced when their client asks for toilet.
Suggestions:
· Bhubaneswar needs to have enough Public Toilets with proper identity and not just badly managed ones used for hoardings
· Public Toilets should follow standards of cleanliness so that tourists are encouraged to use public toilets
· Encourage hotels, restaurants, shops to have their own toilets and make sure they are accessible to public and visitors to the city
· Make mandatory for shops to have toilets either in their premises or having a toilet within groups of Toilets
· Focus on Quality, Quick Access than Quantity along with making the toilets as attractive places with welcoming features and make sure regular monitoring of Public Toilets by higher authorities and provision of assessment by users
But, the outcomes have given some idea of the issues which are supply/non-behavioral in nature. However, similar exercises need to be conducted from time to time on emerging behaviour issues. It will give deeper insight to plan IEC/BCC strategies and plans in urban areas.
Ranjan Mohapatra, Vision Consulting, New Delhi
The observation of Seema is very true. The hardware for sanitation movement is created, but the software is missing. Behavioural change is essential, but it is more difficult to create , than creating tangible infrastructure.
We need huge investment in this area along with a professionally managed campaign, unlike target oriented toilet construction. This is a huge development challenge.
Hope, our policy makers and honourable PM takes note of this.
Sathish G.P, UNDP, New Delhi
I also have recently come across a similar experience as Ms. Seema Chelat in a remote village in South India. I was happy to see a public toilet in that village where I visited after many years. Moreover, some of the individual houses were also having toilets constructed. However, the public toilet was kept locked and not being used by the people who do not have toilet at their homes and continued with open defecation. When I enquired about it, I understood that the toilet was closed because the people do not flush it properly and maintenance becomes a problem. That village does not have any water problem but still the public toilet was maintained badly. It is just because the people do not know how to flush the toilet and the role of a bend attached to the toilet pan/ closet. In fact, it was the same case with the relative’s home I visited in that village and they also do not flush it properly and the toilet remains dirty. Then, I had to explain how the toilet functions and how they can use it better. My learning from this experience is that in some places, people are not lacking of facilities but just the knowledge of how to use it properly. So, when we generate/ create the IEC material promoting toilet usage, we must also explain how the toilet functions and how to use it. This is how we can change their behavior. It is so important and requires a continuous effort. We can see notice boards in toilets in malls, cinema theatres and even in offices, where educated people dwell around, asking the user to flush the toilet properly.
Some of my suggestions on IEC and BCC are:
1. One of the best mediums to bring the behavioral change could be the school children. The teachers should know and explain to the students about the correct usage of a toilet. They can be issued with some pictorial posters to share with their families.
2. The existing promotions on TV, such as an advertisement by a famous actor/personality can be little more open in discussion in a way it is audible/understandable. If a company promoting a toilet cleaner can show more details, why can the toilet promoting advertisement not explain more, with visuals?
3. The toilet cleaning materials may be distributed through the Ration stores as well. This will remind the family every month and encourage them to buy in a subsidised cost and use them for cleaner toilets.
I think it is more important than ever to focus now on our Clean India Mission and the behavioral change should start from the individual homes and will continue in the public places.
Special thanks to Mr. Joy Elamon for posting this important query.
Govind Dhaske, WASH and Social Science Expert, Maharashtra
The fundamental rupture in the SBM programming can be evidenced from the administrative epistemology overshadowed by the toilet construction targets and the ground-level socio-cultural manifestation of complex sanitation problems such as open defecation. IEC and BCC are a highly specialized areas and should be kept away from the highly generalized administrative thinking process focused on targets. Moreover, IEC and BCC require comprehensive research-based planning which implies certain changes in the way SBM is translated at the frontline, also it requires rigorous training of the government officials to overcome the gaps in sanitation knowledge. Unfortunately, the fundamental requirement of knowledge production to understand the manifestation of sanitation problems has not been emphasized by the administration, academia, policymakers, and other pertinent bodies in India (and we are expecting citizenry as a knowledge community on sanitation). The funding for research on sanitation has been unforgivably low in India and arguably it has affected the quality of sanitation programming across all geographies. As far as Joy’s query goes, I have few suggestions that are my personal opinion:
1. What could be the innovative methodology to increase awareness about the importance of healthy sanitation practices; to improve usage of toilets and discontinue open defecation (OD) practice?
There are two things that need consideration in the sanitation programming where knowledge-based behavior change and its sustainability is paramount. Throughout all sanitation programs since three decades role of gender has not been incorporated sufficiently. The role of women in educating their households and social as well as institutional spheres is important when it comes to IEC and BCC. The social and household level sanitation knowledge transfer/diffusion and its enduring impact on behavior change are highly gender-deterministic. Educating and training women on sanitation knowledge and practices as well as engaging them through various roles including sanitation entrepreneurship are essential. Also, there is no clear programmatic procedure on selection of appropriate technologies that incorporates gender-specific needs. For effective and sustainable IEC and BCC, women should be seen as knowledge bearers and leaders on sanitation and that surely requires different formative and phenomenological studies about knowledge mapping, exploring knowledge diffusion process, and socio-cultural correlates of open defecation and so on. Furthermore, the IEC and BCC materials and media should be highly cultural and emerging from the communities rather than imposed on them by some external entities. The local languages, more importantly the dialects of different communities are the best medium to enhance the dialectical method/process of IEC and BCC. This means using local artists, folklore, folk-art is essential and it should be a locally built team rather than coming from some urban habitat which is highly rampant these days in India. Recently, my team shared about a gender-centric knowledge transfer model in sanitation at a seminar at NIRDPR Hyderabad that advocated for a 20-session long demonstrative action-based learning model for IEC and BCC for groups of women. There are different correlates that determine the toilet usage and Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) research has revealed quite a good number of factors. The major factor includes involvement of men and women in selecting sanitation technology. Furthermore, the IEC and BCC has to consider the class and caste synthesis process involved in sanitation programing to overcome the class and caste-based dissonance that hampers the use of toilet. It has been seen that even young women choose to go for open defecation if they do not like the toilet design or may be the public perception about designs of their toilets.
In any case, behavior and sustainable change-oriented IEC and BCC should be evidence-based with sufficient understanding developed through formative and phenomenological research. It also implies administrative willingness to rely on knowledge-based rather than target-based programming model and substantial allocation for social/cultural sanitation research, particularly by local social science institutions and research experts from local communities. The technology dominated sanitation paradigm keeps itself away from the social science. Despite the continued under usage of sanitation infrastructure due to social/cultural/gender reasons, there is less involvement of social science experts in improving the sanitation programming. There is notable divide among technical and social science experts about including sanitation as part of social science; bridging this ideological (rather than disciplinary) divide can guide the country towards more innovative institutional and disciplinary arrangements that can expedite IEC and BCC induced change in sanitation knowledge and practices.
2. What global best practices are available in terms of technological solutions for IEC, especially for urban population?
There are varieties of technologies developed for sanitation by various countries and many countries are ready with solutions (including IEC) to tap the emerging sanitation market in India. However, such technology-based IEC systems need tremendous amount of indigenization to make it relevant to Indian context. Unless such programing frameworks and policy is established, reliance on technology-based solutions can be ineffective. The technology use in sanitation need to be established through participatory approaches to avoid knowledge and motivation gaps as well as the exceedingly high cost for training and educating communities through other methods.
3. What are the innovative methods for measuring toilet usage?
Measuring (or monitoring) toilet usage is the most challenging aspect of target-oriented sanitation programming designs mainly because there is high insistence on objectified indicators such as mandatory hand washing after use of toilet and so on. In the household-based model, motivated self-reporting is the only solution. Other extrapolative and technology-based measurement tools can be coupled with it. Logically, self-reporting is closely linked with IEC and BCC and its integration. If village panchayats follow centralized sanitary complex model then biometric methods can work well. In any case, improved usage does not ensure stoppage of open defecation so qualitative behavioral and attitudinal indicators are the best source of measurement. Alongside measuring the use of toilet, a ban on open defecation can work well. Once the context-specific manifestation and belief system of populace regarding sanitation is mapped well, an integrated measurement system can evolve which necessarily involves different institutions with specified roles in the measurement system. Centralized and top-down approaches convenient to administrative system oriented measurement is a challenging endeavor in this regard.
Amit Dwivedi, Community Radio Cell, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi
I think the role of Community Radio (CR) Stations is very important in BCC and IEC in Swachh Bharat Mission. There are such examples across the nation, where these stations have played very important roles in information dissemination and accessing government schemes and programmes.
There are 191 operational Community Radio Stations across India. Detailed list of these stations is available at: www.mib.nic.in / http://www.mib.nic.in/WriteReadData/documents/Operational_._1.pdf
These stations are broadcasting programmes on several social issues and have become agents of change. One of the community radio stations has got an award in disseminating hand washing campaign by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
Please feel free to contact me anytime, to know more about community radio stations and their contribution on various social issues.
Pooja Murada, SM Sehgal Foundation, Gurgaon
Community Radios are one of the most powerful mediums that can be utilised to promote Swachh Bharat Mission, this medium has the potential to reach out to the people at the last mile at the grassroots who otherwise are deprived of information through different forms of media and sources.
To share briefly about Community radio, Alfaz-e-Mewat 107.8 initiative, we worked on a series of episodes on one of the country’s greatest problems of sanitation. The theme was chosen from the issues identified by the community in group meetings, focused group discussions, and in-depth interviews, conducted under the formative research process. The community discussions with men and women indicated that the community realizes the importance of having household toilets but the lack of resources and delays in getting government funds, and non-availability of water leaves rural families with no choice but to defecate in the open.
The radio program series titled ‘Shochalay Mere Angana ‘(Toilet in my household), featured the apathy of women due to open defecation. The discussions also lead to information related to severe health problems faced by the community women which were captured as stories directly from the affected party.
We used community stories woven around narration as the format for the episodes because stories are best told by the people who are in them. We broadcasted these series into two segments: segment one was a series of 7 radio dramas depicting challenges and solutions to open defecation were prepared. The second series of 12 episodes with real life stories from women themselves describing the daily ordeals they face while open defecation.
It was the first time ever that these women spoke about their own health problems due to open defecation, the prevalent myths in the area and also grassroots stories of hope and courage that never go beyond the village neighborhood.
The critical success factor behind such programmes is community involvement right from the design stage till execution and actual construction of toilets in households in Havan nagar village led by women of the houses.
The sustainability of our series hinges upon the fact that it gave an important platform to women to speak about such issues and share their stories.
Bijoy Patro, OneWorld Foundation India, New Delhi (response 1)
There are close to 200 Community Radio Stations across the country like Alfaz-e-Mewat across the country. It can be said, generally, that most of these radio stations are vibrant platforms for airing issues concerning people living in the geography of the radio station -a population within a radius of 8 km or more.
Community Radio Stations have produced a number of programmes on water and sanitation related issues, besides, of course, a host of other issues of immediate relevance to communities that live within the radio station's catchment area.
I would like to introduce friends here to the EK duniya anEK awaaz (EDAA) platform, a content sharing platform hosted, managed and coordinated by OneWorld Foundation India. EDAA is a platform for radio stations like Alfaz-e-Mewat to share their programmes on water sanitation, among many other thematic issues. You will also get to see some from Alfaz-e-Mewat here.
EDAA ascribes to the creative commons (with attribution) and is a popular forum for Community Radio Stations across the country.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also supports the EDAA platform.
Friends interested in getting a glimpse of these programmes can visit the EDAA platform by clicking on edaa.in. More generally, the theme on water can be accessed through the window on the following link:http://edaa.in/programs_view.php?theme=21
Some programmes on the page following the link below are related to water-sanitation issues and find an echo in the overall Swachh Bharat Mission:
http://edaa.in/programs_view.php?page=8&theme=21
Likewise, there are a number of programmes under the thematic heading of health that can be accessed over the following link:
http://edaa.in/programs_view.php?theme=15
There is a huge focus on water and sanitation issues, mainly corresponding to Swachh Bharat that also figure under other thematic heads on the EDAA platform, like governance,
All of these programmes have an overarching approach to the issue of behaviour change communication.
I hope this is of use to friends and colleagues on Solution Exchange.
T. Gangadharan, KSSP, Kannur
No doubt, this is an important area for intervention. As a teacher and social worker, I would say, the best platform for IEC on sanitation is school. Build good toilets, urinals, biogas plants etc. in every school and ensure its operation. That itself will teach the new generation to use these devises and disseminate a lot of information about them.
Recently, Kannur district Committee of KSSP in Kerala conducted a small survey on women friendliness of toilets of 31 bus stands in the district. The survey was organised in the form of a Peoples Enquiry Commission which collected evidences from different stake holders, including Municipality and Panchayat officials, activists, passengers, shopkeepers and so on. Wide publicity was given to the programme so that different media people also were attracted. In total, we could make it a point to build public awareness.
The report of the study was widely covered in the media. Copy of the study report including recommendations was sent to concerned Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) for further action and many of them have started renovation as proposed. The report was posted in this group and may be accessed at http://solutionexchange-un.net.in/ftp/decn/comm_update/res-101-210316-01.pdf (PDF; Size: 225 KB)
Pranab Kumar Chanda, Consultant, Save the Children, New Delhi
I feel that for SBM the technological mode of IEC and BCC activities should not limit to one or two mediums only. The Mission tries to attempt multiple technological mediums and ways including Television, Community Radio, FM channels in radio and also tries mobile messages and voice calls.
Besides, the Mission also tries to use non-technological mediums for disseminating messages. In India, Nukkad Nataks and evening meetings with Village community still have a wide range of influence. The key is if the messages capture undercurrents associated with toilet usage in that locality. India is a diverse country with different sorts of issues related to toilet usage. So, uniform and general messaging may not work. Moreover, I too feel that using women groups ( SHG groups under NRLM, Jeevika etc), NGOs and children in schools can further help in understanding the core issues, development of right messages and also choosing out the right medium to reaching out to the target audiences.
The range of IEC activities used under Polio eradication programme in India is also considered as one of the key aspects of its success.
Bijoy Patro, OneWorld Foundation India, New Delhi (response 2)
I would like a further bit to attempt an answer to Joy Elamon's query.
Radio programmes produced by Community Radio Stations are in the very local dialect. This, together with the cultural relevance of the content has a direct bearing to the audience imbibing the message.
More importantly, years of experimentation with narrow-casting have yielded significant results. Narrow-casting is the practice of taking the programme to a listener group and playing it out for them. The benefits of group listening are enormous.
This has been tried for over a decade, well before Community Radio made its advent in India and it proved to be a huge success in Gujarat where one of OneWorld Foundation India's partners would do it with magnetic tapes played over tape-recorder/players.
Making and broadcasting community-produced content and then narrow-casting the content to spur a discussion has tangible results with respect to behaviour change -- this is behaviour change communication in practice. This cannot be left behind, especially because any analysis of audience research outputs will reveal how nuanced the acceptance of messages are, leave alone putting message into practice.
Edwin M. John, Neighbourhood Community Network, Tamil Nadu
I would like to share the experience of neighbourhood-based sub-wards for Swacch Bharat Mission.
Kovalam, a panchayat adjacent to Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, initiated a participatory solid-waste management programme that could be replicated in all panchayats with great results and with sustained, decentralized community monitoring. It was in the aftermath of tsunami.
The key to the success of the programme was the organization of the households into what we could call sub-wards or “neighbourhood parliaments”.
The idea was that people would not participate effectively unless they had forums to participate, and that the forums had to be accessible to the last and the least person, and of the right size to ensure his/her effective participation. The bigger the forums, it was felt, the more it would alienate the not-so-big among them. The bigger forums are the game of the bigger voices, and smaller voices would get drowned in such forums. The not-so-big get daunted by, and feel insecure at, the very size of the forums, and back out from participation. The wards in the panchayat too were found to be too big.
The sub-wards, hence, were small-sized, face-to-face communities where people could sit in one circle and talk without a microphone. More details are available at www.neighborhoodparliament.org; www.childrenparliament.in
Kovalam panchayat had 26 such Neighbourhood Parliaments (NPs) of about 30 families each, supplemented by 26 Neighbourhood Parliaments of Children (NPCs). Each NP, and NPC, had its own neighbourhood ministers to attend to concerns like health, human resources development, education and employment, public works, fisheries, liaison with local governance bodies, etc. The minister for health and minister for liaison-with-local governance bodies, in each neighbourhood parliament, took charge of solid waste management in the concerned neighbourhood.
Accordingly each neighbourhood appointed its own “beautification worker” whose responsibility was to help make sure that the neighbourhood remained clean and presentable. Each household in the neighboburhood contributed, then, Rs. 10 per month for the payment of the “beautification worker” and for related expenses. EXNORA of Chennai, with its vast experience and expertise in neighbourhood-based solid waste management, was tapped in to guide the process.
Bio degradable and non-degradable items were segregated separately. The panchayat federation of neighbourhood ministers ensured that the waste was properly marketed and turned into wealth. Greening aspect was also attended to. Eventually thepanchayat won the Nirmal Gram Puraskar, clean village award, from the President of India.
The village turned out also to be first village in Asia to win an ISO certification. An M.Phil dissertation on this process, by Joseph Romald G., has been brought out as a book under the title, “ Neighbourhood Communities for Disaster Management: Story of a tsunami-hit village that rose as a model for participatory development.” (For details please write to xavierlaw...@gmail.com.)
Sunil Kumar, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science
Education on sanitation, especially the link between sanitation and health is very important. The point made by T. Gangadharan is important in this respect. However, it is my view that land tenure, especially in urban areas, is a major barrier. For instance, when I was in Jaipur in early March, I visited a settlement of puppeteers – the settlement was highly consolidated, with residents investing their time and effort in creating drains for kitchen waste water – expressions of interest for sanitation was made in every lane of the settlement. The challenge the residents faced was where to construct toilets as the legitimacy of the neighbourhood was unclear even though it has existed for several decades.
Prakash Nayak, Odisha (response 2)
While thinking on the ongoing discussion on “ IEC and BCC under Swachh Bharat Mission”, it reminds me of Nirmal Gram Puraskar ( NGP)-2006, exactly 10 years back. For the first time, Odisha nominated around 40 Open Defecation Free (ODF) viilages out of which eight Gram Panchayats declared ODF and satisfied all the parameters for NGP award. I was leading the Odisha delegation to Delhi on behalf of Rural Development Department, Government of Odisha and had one-to-one and indepth discussion with all the PRI members. Their honest admission, they admitted that that they utilized/exhausted all possible IEC and BCC methods to mobilize individuals and households in their respective Gram Panchayats. But, ten year down the line (in 2016), now I hear, the same Gram Panchayats are no more ODF and have slipped out. This is situation in rest of the country and is applicable to urban context too.
What is now required at this juncture of time is a strategic move from event based activities to process based IEC and BCC approach, from the traditional Input-Output approach to impact oriented approach.
Event Based Vs Process Based?
Polio is more of an event based activity. Of course, building trust and confidence among parents and care givers is most difficult aspect of Polio drive. But, in case of SBA, this is more of a continuous effort round the year activity. The wish list of different media and methods different impact of IEC/BCC processes are never ending and do not always yield impact. SBM in urban areas needs attention not on the number of channels, it is more of a process.
Input-Output to Impact Oriented?
Many a times, department or project officials are busy in calculating financial and logistics inputs involved in SBM. There are pressure from finance section to furnish details before planning for next year. Somehow, the impact oriented indicators are overlooked and rarely completed.
What to monitor?
Right from logistics inputs, output and impact of SBM need to be monitored.
Logistics
1. Materials production and pretesting
2. Distribution systems : print products, Audio-Visuals
3. Drafts of all Communication materials
Mass Media Activities
1. Radio(both AIR and Community Radio)
2. Television
3. Film and Video
4. Mobile phones and apps
5. Websites and online repository
Interpersonal Communication Activities
1. Establishing networks and organized groups
2. Peer group education, visitation activities
3. “Satisfied acceptor” programme activities
4. Community level group meetings
5. Counseling activities by frontline workers
6. Training activities
Traditional and Local Media Activities
1. Puppet shows/folk drama
2. Community/street theatre
3. Musicians
4. Any other as appropriate
Interim Behaviour Effects
1. Changes in knowledge and attitudes
2. Changes/developments in recommended practices/behaviours
3. Improved intervention rates- Usage of latrine, hand washing, solid and liquid waste disposal etc.
One of the major hindrances is to convert the programme objective of SBM to suitable and appropriate communication objectives. In addition to programme monitoring, behaviour monitoring should be institutionalized to know:
· Whether it is continuous and aims to provide management and other stakeholders of an ongoing programme with early evidence of progress or lack thereof in the achievement of behavioural results based on SMART communication objectives
· Are we effective in our communication activities so far?
It needs more discussion to reach to a workable solution for SBM in urban context.
Yogesh Kumar, Samarthan, Bhopal
Samarthan has been working with a district wide approach to convert Sehore district (in Madhya Pradesh) an open defecation free district. The team under the leadership of Mr. Mankaj Singh has consolidated some of experiences and suggestion which I am sharing.
Innovative methodology to increase awareness
The BCC should be more decentralized and each block should have flexibility to use it as per local need. One size fit for all principle should not be applied. The use of BCC should be done before the construction of toilets is started. In rural context an attempt should be made to have collective understanding and agreement for usage of toilet rather than an individualistic approach of convincing individual households (HH). This is based on the understanding that rural is more cohesive group and the fear of social boycott by society is still very strong. If the most of the villagers through different tools are convinced of construction and using the toilets then slowly the leftover would also follow the crowd and they would start using it. The key challenge is that till now BCC has been bombarded without understanding the timing of such BCC. BCC should be targeted and designed in two parts. One would be before construction of toilets and the second would be after construction to reinforce the message of continuously using toilet even after the construction.
Secondly, the focus of BCC is on construction and usage. Can we have some message on people/ villages who are already using, getting the benefit of using toilet? For example how it helped them in reducing the cost incurred during illness, pride associated with construction etc.
Thirdly, the focus of BCC should also be on children. The principal should catch them young and tell them healthy sanitation practices. The resources invested in BCC for children would have long term implication. In a short period they can be change agents to motivate their parents, grandparents etc. for healthy sanitation practices and in long term the coming generation would become aware about the healthy sanitation practices.
Innovative methods for measuring toilet usage
I would like to share some out of box thoughts. Is it possible to measure the soap consumed in a particular village/ Panchayats or block ? This data can be collected from rural distributor of soaps. This would just give us some understandings about usage of toilets as soap is also used for other purposed like bathing etc.
Secondly, we can have a mechanism by which children during their school attendance inform about the usage of toilet in their house. Besides this adolescent girsl and women coming to Anaganwadi centre can also inform about the usage of toilet in their home. We can have mechanism to record the usage of toilet by labourers who register for work under government programme. If we are able to introduce this on pilot basis then it would not only reinforce the message of using toilet but also help in measuring the usage of toilets.
In case if we have additional resources than mobile based monitoring tools may be used or in case of low resources sanitation map showing the whole each house hold in the village along with toilet usage status could also be marked by the help of panchayats. The mix of both technology and sanitation mapping could also be done to measure the usage. However this is resource intensive exercise but the information would be very accurate.
I hope these thoughts are useful.
Suman Rawat, Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission, Mumbai , Maharashtra
(response 2)
Following are the details of involvement of SHGs under Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM) in Toilet Pinkathon organised by Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission:
UMED-Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission
Toilet Pinkathon
Duration- 12th January 2015 to 8th March 2016 (International Women’s Day)
Participants- 34 Districts of Maharashtra
UMED- Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission has made the dashsutri as the core strategy for its implementation(for details, visit our website). Keeping the health and hygiene as one of the significant areas to bring change in people’s lives. The Mission has been working actively on increasing access to sanitation to the communities.
UMED- Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission made efforts towards expediting the outreach of sanitation facility across the state, the first effort made last year was observing the “World Toilet Day” on 19th November 2015. This was followed by starting a campaign for construction of toilets. The overall “Toilet Pinkathon” campaign was monitored and implemented by the Zilla Parishad and DRDA with at the district level with Swachh Bharat Mission taking the responsibility for expediting the process of construction throughout the campaign. Keeping the SHG at the Centre of the campaign the progress was monitored by the number of ODF SHGs the district and division made during the campaign. The SHGs are capacitated to advocate for their rights towards sanitation and hygiene this was assured by the increased Gram Sabha Participation by women.
The “Toilet Pinkathon” campaign was envisaged as to truly celebrate the “International Women’s Day” on 8thMarch 2016 and also appreciate the efforts of the SHGs towards bringing in a new stature to their group by making community efforts to make their SHGs free from Open Defecation. These SHGs and Divisions were felicitated by the Honorable Rural Development Minister in Mumbai at state level celebration of “International Women’s Day” .
The table below shows the no. of ODF SHGs declared during the “Toilet Pinkathon” campaign:
|
Division |
ODF SHGs in Dec 2015 |
ODF SHGs in Feb 2016 |
Total SHS made ODF during Toilet Pinkathon |
|
Konkan |
7200 |
8619 |
1419 |
|
Pune |
3591 |
4710 |
1119 |
|
Aurangabad |
6615 |
7728 |
1113 |
|
Nasik |
1388 |
2086 |
698 |
|
Nagpur |
2433 |
2880 |
447 |
|
Amravati |
1248 |
1330 |
82 |
|
|
22475 |
27353 |
4878 |
Rituu B Nanda, Constellation, India
I have worked with communities for some time and my experience is that awareness and IEC is not very effective if we are seeking behaviour change. We often go to the communities with our priorities and communities see it as NGO agenda. They do not 'own' the issue. Also we i.e outsiders going as experts to fix problems of the communities has resulted in external dependency and communities sometimes lose confidence in their own capacity to respond. Therefore, using a strength-based approach for community engagement can be effective in communities realising their own capacity, owning the issue and taking subsequent action.
I suggest Constellation's community life competence approach which has been used for multiple issues like health, ageing, WASH etc in about 66 countries (including India). We worked with communities for UNICEF on WASH in Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Guyana and Surinam.
Venkatrao Y Ghorpade, SHRIDI Foundation, Bangalore
With reference to the on going query on Swachh Bharat, I am attaching an article entitled Basic Sanitation in Rural India: Road map for ‘Swachh Bharat’, which I had recently written for the Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research, Tirupati. I hope you will find it useful. The article may be accessed at http://solutionexchange-un.net.in/ftp/decn/resource/res15031601.pdf (PDF; Size: 130 KB)
There is one more crucial program in Karnataka where IEC & BCC activities has been very useful - today Karnataka has installed one thousandd pure drinking water systems in as many villages. The Gram Panchayats maintain these RO plants where families come with 20 litres cans to fill water for their daily household consumption. Thereby minimising the usage of one litre plastic bottles, which eventually find their way into the open drains causing drain blockages and other sanitary problems. This is a significant step as far as SBM is concerned. The sooner we get rid of such small disposable plastic items the better it is for village to remain clean and healthy.
Dhirendra Krishna, New Delhi
1. Strategy for Swatch Bharat Abhiyan should consider (i) the Constitutional authorities responsible for cleanliness, (ii) review the reasons for their non-performance and (iii) provide required inputs to enable and empower them.
2. After the 73rd. and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India, responsibility of ensuring health and sanitation is with Panchayats ( item 23 of Schedule XI ) and Municipalities (item 6 of Schedule XII). Cleanliness is a highly decentralized activity: the issue to be addressed is why the institutions of local-self-government unable to perform. In addition to the provisions of the Constitution of India, every State Government had framed laws under Article 243G and 243W; (i) non-implementation of laws is the basic issue, (ii) lack of public pressure on these authorities is a matter for further investigation and (iii) the strategy should encompass motivational issues in lack of public participation.
3. After the substantial grants to Panchayats and Municipalities on the recommendation of 14th. Finance Commission, they cannot take the alibi of funds shortage for avoiding their legal responsibilities regarding cleanliness. Major component of Swatch Bharat Abhiyan should focus on ensuring that institutions of local-self-government are effective in fulfilling their duties.
Many thanks to all who contributed to this query!
If you have further information to share on this topic, please send it to Solution Exchange for the Decentralization Community in India at se-...@solutionexchange-un.net.in with the subject heading “Re: [se-decn] Query: IEC and BCC under Swachh Bharat Mission- Examples; Experiences. Additional Reply.”
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