Water and sanitation in the media

A collection of stories by South Asian journalists

A.B. (Allah Bux) Arisar Shehroz Ibad
Dawn, Umerkot, Pakistan Dunya News, Faisalabad, Pakistan

A. B. Arisar is a development reporter from Umerkot, Shehroz Ibad is a journalist from Pakistans third
a gateway city to the great Thar Desert, located near largest city of Faisalabad, Punjab. He has been
the Indian Border in Sindh, Pakistan. He works for the working with the Dunya News television channel for
Daily Dawn and Dawn News TV reporting on health, education, two years. He also contributes news, features and articles in
water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), ecology, the environment, different newspapers including the Daily Ausaf from Faisalabad.
biodiversity, the economy, minorities, children, women and gender He covers health, education and water, sanitation and hygiene
rights issues. He has reported several stories on culture, minerals (WASH) issues for his channel and different newspapers. As
and mines, poverty, bonded labour, child labour, early marriages, of last year, he is also a media fellow of the UK-based non
human trafficking, violence against children and women and governmental organisation, WaterAid in Pakistans, Young Media
minorities. He can be reached at [email protected]. Fellowship programme. Previously, Mr Ibad worked with Geo TV.
He can be reached at [email protected].
Deependra Bista
Kantipur, Kathmandu, Nepal Chandani Jayatilleke
Freelance writer, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Deependra Bista is a print media journalist from Nepal.
He works with the national English daily, Kantipur, Chandani Jayatilleke is a freelance print media
published in Kathmandu and Qutar. Deependra covers journalist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She writes on
different issues, but water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues a wide range of subjects from water and sanitation,
are his passion. He can be reached at [email protected]. fisheries, womens issues, health and climate change issues for
some foreign publications. She also works as a feature writer for
Ramzan Chandio
a management magazine published in Colombo. Chandani has
The Nation, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
received journalism training from Panos South Asia, Reuters,
Ramzan Chandio is a staff reporter for The Nation, in the European Journalism Centre and Fojo, Sweden. She has
Karachi, Pakistan. He has been part of WaterAid in also previously worked for two national English newspapers in
Pakistans media fellowship programme since 2010. Colombo.
He specialises in reporting on parliamentary proceedings, the
ABM Badruddoza Khan
environment, climate change, disaster risks and water, sanitation
The Samakal, Dhaka, Bangladesh
and hygiene (WASH) and human rights issues. Ramzan has vast
experience in reporting on politics and the policies of Pakistan Badruddoza Khan has been working as a staff
related issues and how they affect the population. Ramzan has reporter for The Samakal, a leading national daily of
reported in The News (Pakistan), Daily News (Pakistan) and Bangladesh, for the last four years. He has covered
in Sindhi language newspapers. See www.ramzanchandio. news stories on public health, nutrition, population and water
blogspot.com and www.ramzanchandio.wordpress.com. and sanitation issues. Previously he worked for the New Age
at its Chittagong Bureau office for two and a half years. He has
Amar Guriro
covered a variety of different news issues and events throughout
Regional Coordinator: WASH Media South Asia
his work.
Editor: WASH Media South Asia website
Environmental journalist: Pakistan Today, Karachi, Arun Kumar
Sindh, Pakistan The Times of India, Patna, Bihar, India

Amar Guriro is a print media journalist, blogger, photographer, Arun Kumar is a Patna-based journalist of repute
multimedia producer and a professional fixer based in Karachi, known for his serious writing especially on
Sindh, Pakistan. He is attached to a Lahore-based English paper, different aspects of basic human rights issues: poverty, water,
Pakistan Today in its Karachi office as a staff reporter. He has hygiene, sanitation, hunger, malnutrition, housing problems, the
contributed to several national and international publications environment, dalits, adivasis, rural and urban poor people as well
including BBC-Urdu and The Himal SouthAsian. He has reported as police atrocities and issues related to the fundamental rights
for different language publications including English, Sindhi, enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the Universal Human
Hindi, Marathi and Urdu. He maintains his personal website Rights Charter. He is also a member of the National Executive
at www.amarguriro.com and can be reached at: amarguriro@ Committee of Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and one of the
amarguriro.com. prominent human rights activists of Bihar province in India.

Nurul Islam Hasib Laxmi Maharjan

bdnews24.com, Dhaka, Bangladesh The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, Nepal

Nurul Islam Hasib is a senior correspondent of Laxmi Maharjan has worked since 2008 as a health
bdnews24.com, Bangladeshs first online newspaper. journalist in Kathmandu for the largest selling English
Over the past nine years he has been working with daily newspaper, The Himalayan Times. Along with
different national English dailies. He has covered a wide range the health beat, she is covering issues on women, children and
of issues including health, population, the environment, water water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues. She is a post
and politics. He has received several awards for reporting, graduate from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication
particularly on development issues. New Delhi. She is also pursuing a Masters degree in Mass
Communication and Journalism from Ratna Rajya College and a
Bachelor in Law from the Nepal Law Campus.
 Acknowledgements

It is a fact that the success of any project depends largely on the encouragement, guidelines and hard work
of its team members. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all the members of the regional
group of South Asian journalists: the WASH Media South Asia, who have been instrumental in the successful
completion of this media scrapbook.
We would like to show our greatest appreciation to every member of WASH Media South Asia who has
worked hard researching different subjects of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and has reported to his/
her newspaper, television channel and radio station to ensure publication of these WASH reports in all five
South Asian countries. Without their hard work this media scrapbook would not have materialised.
We would also like to say special thanks to Mustafa Talpur, Regional Advocacy Manager WaterAid South
Asia for his tremendous support, guidance and help with writing and compiling the introductions in this
publication. Without his full support it would not have been possible for us to manage this media scrapbook.
We are also thankful to Brenda McIlwraith, Media Officer, WaterAid in the UK for her continuous support to
our efforts in strengthening regional media groups on WASH. Last but not least, we would like to thank Alison
Gentleman, Senior Communications Services Officer, WaterAid in the UK for her support on the layout and
design of this publication.

1
 Introduction

In 2011, a group of dedicated journalists from South Asia writing on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
established a regional body calledWASH Media South Asia. The group consists of both print and broadcasting
media personnel from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. As the members were already actively
writing on WASH issues, the regional network helped to share their stories and coordinate their actions.
Since uniting, forum members have also been able to meet and consult with a West African journalists network
during a global sanitation conference in Mumbai in 2011. They also organised an internal meeting in March
2012.
This publication contains selected stories by forum members from all five South Asian countries involved. The
stories have been categorised into seven different themes which include monitoring political commitments to
WASH, reporting on WASH during disasters, issues of equity and rights relating to WASH, issues related to
WASH and health, problems of governance and financing in the sector; and best practice applied to WASH.
Although other topics have been covered by the journalists, these categories were chosen to highlight key
themes and organise the content of the book.
To reach the widest audience possible, the book is being published in English. However, there have been
hundreds of stories published in national languages including Bangla, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Sindhi and Singhla.
It is hard to present all of these stories here, but a section has been added to highlight the coverage.
The purpose of this publication is to share with stakeholders as many stories as possible from the five countries
involved in the WASH Media South Asia forum. By doing this, we hope to increase our role in improving the
WASH situation in South Asia by bringing attention to many of the issues involved. The media is an important
element of civil society and through it we want to highlight the importance of governance issues as well as
play watchdog to improving accountability and transparency. We believe that increasing engagement by the
media in water, sanitation and hygiene can contribute to raising the profile of the sector and awareness of the
issues it faces.
WASH Media South Asia team, 2012

2
 Contents

1 Monitoring political commitments Page 5

2 Disasters Page 22

3 Rights and inclusion Page 28

4 Health implications Page 45

5 Governance and financing Page 56

6 Best practice Page 69

7 Stories in languages other than English Page 73

3
4
 1 Monitoring political commitments
The single most important development challenge the South Asia region faces is in improving the use of
sanitation and hygiene facilities to promote dignified lives, reduce preventable deaths, improve gender equality,
contribute to the disposable income of poor people and safeguard the environment. Currently over one billion
people lack improved sanitation facilities and nearly 700 million practice open defecation, which is an affront
to society in South Asia.
In the Millennium Summit of 2000, all countries from South Asia committed to reverse these terrible conditions.
A platform entitled the South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) was created to increase regional
cooperation against this common challenge. All countries from the region supported and signed a UN resolution
for the right to water and sanitation committing to take steps towards the progressive realisation of these
rights by upholding human rights principles and standards of non-discrimination universally.
In addition to regional and international commitments, all of the countries have made national commitments
through formulating policies, master/sector development plans, national budget speeches and setting universal
targets. However, despite these political commitments at all levels, the current progress rate is unsatisfactory
and it is estimated that sanitation targets will not be achieved by 2015.
The media is an important civil society institution and has a responsibility towards citizens and society to dig
deeper and highlight the reasons that governments in South Asia are falling short in fulfilling their political
commitments. The media can not only hold to account those who are responsible for providing services to
the people, but also through unfolding stories can empower citizens to engage with duty bearers and demand
their rights.
The stories in this section were written by passionate journalists from South Asia who have tracked the progress
on SACOSAN, SAARC and SWA commitments and reminded the political leadership about its failures as
well as its successes. The stories also capture the causes of the failures, suggestions to address the core
challenges and bottlenecks in expediting progress.

A young man is
pulling a water
bucket from a
well with the help
of donkeys in
Thoorahu village,
located in Sanghar
districts Achhro
Thar, also known
as the White Desert
area of Pakistan.
The vast desert
that is spread along
the Indian border
is facing acute
water shortage
and people there
usually consume
underground water
from the wells.
Photo: Amar Guriro.
5
 South Asian countries need progress
on sanitation
November 4, 2011, 9:50 pm

By Ifham Nizam and Sanitation Collaborative Council than seven hundred million people
(WSSCC). forced to defecate in the open.
SAARC needs to recognise the The report was launched ahead Ramisetty Muraili, of FANSA, said:
sanitation crisis in the region and of the South Asian Association for The report clearly indicates that
challenge the inequity in the provision Regional Cooperation social policy people want to live a life of dignity and
and distribution of resources, a senior forum in the Maldives from November health but are frustrated by the lack
official of the Water Supply and 10-11. of effective support and the failure
Sanitation Collaborative Council said. WaterAid Regional Officer Mustafa of poorly planned and implemented
Speaking at the launch of the report Talpur said that the report was the projects, while some communities
South Asian Peoples Perspectives on result of interviews and focus group are reluctant to adopt safe hygiene
Sanitation on Thursday in Colombo, the discussions with needy communities practices because of sociological and
Councils Networking and Knowledge and social groups across Bangladesh, cultural barriers, and extreme poverty.
Management, Programme Manager, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Centre for Environmental Justice,
Archana Patkar said that governments and aimed to bring the people behind Executive Director Hemantha
needed to engage proactively to the crude statistics into the sanitation Withanage said that the study
provide stronger leadership to water, debate. appealed to policy makers to re-
sanitation and hygiene. In 25 years and 16 summits, vamp institutional mechanisms that
She said: Regional mechanisms sanitation has never been on the allowed for community participation in
for implementation, coordination, agenda of SAARC. The global sanitation projects.
research and knowledge sharing Millennium Development Goal target He added that above all the report
through the existing SAARC Secretariat for sanitation by 2015 rests with called for greater accountability and
is needed to strengthen the SACOSAN countries in South Asia; if South Asia transparency measures, and a focus
process. makes progress on sanitation, the on human-centered development,
For people in South Asia, sanitation world will make progress, he said. targeting below poverty communities
means cleanliness and dignity, He also said that in South in India and the hardcore poor of
according to the report launched on Asia, promising economic growth Bangladesh and Nepal.
Thursday by international development was countered with poor human
organisation WaterAid, together with development, poverty and disease, http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_
Fresh Water Action Network-South with almost half the regions population cat=article-details&page=article-
Asia (FANSA) and the Water Supply without improved sanitation and more details&code_title=38386

6
 Open defecation still a big hygiene problem
in Bangladesh
Mustafizur Rahman. Colombo Supply and Sanitation Collaborative to shared and unimproved sanitation
Council and Freshwater Action Network facilities which means more than 94
The fourth South Asian Conference on made their call for recognising access to percent of the population have access
Sanitation began here on Monday with water and sanitation as a human right as to shared and unimproved sanitation
special emphasis on ensuring sanitation mentioned in the Delhi declaration in facilities, says the Bangladesh country
and hygiene facilities for women and 2008. paper. It has been said in the paper that
children who are the most vulnerable to Since SACOSAN III in 2008, 7.5 Bangladesh would achieve the basic
lack of sanitation in the region. lakh children under-five have died of sanitation for all by 2013.
Inaugurating the four-day ministerial diarrhoea in South Asia. Earlier in Delhi, the governments
conference, water supply and Neither the LGRD minister nor the of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan,
drainage minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh state minister nor even the secretary from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan, and
Gunawardena said that all governments Bangladesh is attending the ministerial Afghanistan committed to recognise
in the region should target 100 percent programme. the right to water and sanitation. Later
coverage for water and sanitation in Additional secretary of the LGRD in November 2010, the United Nations
every home and school. ministry Syed Mahboob Hasan, who General Assembly adopted a resolution
He said according to the United is leading an 18-member delegation to on the right to water and sanitation.
Nations, 2.6 billion people in the the conference, said open defecation was The conference includes a number of
world do not have improved sanitation still a big problem for the country in technical sessions, besides the ministerial
facilities. The most disconcerting fact is ensuring sanitation for all. Almost half of summit on April 6. President of the
that 72 percent of this 2.6 billion live in the people of Bangladesh are deprived of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Asia, the minister said. improved sanitation facilities, according Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected
He, however, hoped that Colombo to the Bangladesh country paper to be present at the ministerial meeting.
Ministerial Declaration would spell out presented in the biennial convention to More than 300 foreign delegates and
the way for each country to reach target review the progress made by the regional 150 local participants are attending the
of 100 percent coverage of sanitation. countries in the area of sanitation. conference which will be wrapped up
According to statistics presented The WHO-UNICEF Joint with a press conference on April 7.
during the sessions, more than half of Monitoring Programme 2010 shows that Ministers from India, Pakistan,
the total population in the region still more than 54 percent of the population Afghanistan, Nepal and the Maldives are,
remain outside any improved sanitation of Bangladesh have access to improved among others, attending the conference.
coverage. sanitation facilities.
Representatives from civil society Besides, 25 percent and over 15 http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/
organisations including WaterAid, Water percent of the population have access frontpage/14266.html

7
http://epaper.ekantipur.com/ktpost/showtext.aspx?boxid=14252234&parentid=16447&issuedate=1332012
8
 Master plan for sanitation hygiene
2011-10-03

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE of the countrys population from the goal of achieving basic SHMP in the grassroots level,
lacks access to toilet. A gap of sanitation over a period of years, said Shah. The government has
KATHMANDU: The government 37 per cent between peoples SHMP had also targeted poor allocated Rs 300 million to the
has launched the Sanitation and access to water supply and and disadvantaged communities. Ministry of Physical Planning
Hygiene Master Plan-2011 to sanitation facilities stands as a He added that the upward and Works for sanitation. The
give a boost to the national goal big challenge in achieving the trend of toilet construction master plan has set a nine-point
of achieving basic sanitation for perceived health benefits from indicated that the country would guiding principles that included
all by 2017. water supply and sanitation attain the MDG but it needed a open-defecation-free as the
Ramdeep Shah, Chief, services. pragmatic vision, strengthened bottom line, universal access to
Environmental Sanitation and Shah, who is also the member institutional arrangements, sanitation in water supply and
Disaster Management Section secretary of National Sanitation adequate resources and sanitation projects, technology
under the Department of Water Coordination Committee, said the stakeholders collaborative choices for household toilets and
Supply and Sewerage, said master plan had recognised the efforts to achieve the national leadership of the government
the SHMP targets 53 per cent multi-stakeholders collaboration goal of universal toilet coverage local bodies.
toilet coverage by 2015 to and campaign approach in by 2017.
meet the sanitation Millennium total sanitation promotion and We have formed the (http://www.thehimalayantimes.
Development Goal. introduction of different strategic coordination committees c o m / f u l l N e w s .
According to SHMP, despite coordinating bodies at central, from district to national levels php?headline=Master+ plan+for
gradual achievements in regional, district, municipality to prepare strategies and +sanitation%26sbquo%3B+
sanitation, still 57 per cent and village levels. He said apart programmes to implement hygiene&NewsID=304795)

Efforts to meet sanitation goals

2011-06-06
KATHMANDU: The government is Sewerage under the Ministry of Physical said his office is committed to meeting
stepping up efforts to achieve national Planning and Works. both national as well international
and international goals on sanitation, According to government figures, targets. The department has prepared
officials said today. around 56.96 per cent of Nepalis a master plan on sanitation, which is
The remarks come as the country defecate in the open. Around 14 million going to be presented before the Cabinet
observes the 12th National Sanitation Nepalis lack access to sanitation and soon, he informed.
Week under the slogan Sanitation for 7.1 million lack safe drinking water, Anita Pradhan, communications and
Health, Dignity and Development. says WaterAid in Nepal. The country gender officer at WaterAid in Nepal,
The government today declared needs to provide sanitation facilities to called on the government to help people
203 VDCs, four municipals and 700 all Nepalis by 2017 to meet the national living in tourism hotspots to build toilets
schools open-defecation-free zones. goals on sanitation. Similarly, it must at home in view of Nepal Tourism Year.
We still need to intensify efforts to ensure 53 per cent toilet coverage by
achieve national and international goals 2015 to achieve sanitation goal under (http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/
for the sanitation sector, said Krishna the Millennium Development Goals. fullNews.php?headline=Efforts+to+mee
Prasad Acharya, director general at Ram Deep Shah, chief of Environment t+sanitation+goals&NewsID=290718)
the Department of Water Supply and and Sanitation section of the department,

9
 South Asia struggles to tackle sanitation
crisis: Can SAARC make a difference?
November 8, 2011, 10:16 pm

By Mustafa Talpur The single most factors we found are support and, above all, accountability.
public sector investment and greater For making services sustainable and
Talking about shit is neither romantic political commitment at higher level programmes successful, the quality
nor attractive for both politicians and which transformed the societies. There of construction work should be
media. But it is a reality in South Asia, is political commitment to change but improved, minimising vested interest
where more than one billion people not at required levels, with new policies group to benefit, controlling corruption
simply dont have toilet to perform and investment for public services but and establishing an effective operation
their natural functions, out of that not adequate. The region also faces and maintenance system.
about 700 million men, women and the inherent problem of exclusion. The overarching message emerged
children defecate in open in highly The biggest, and often overlooked, from peoples voices across the
undignified manner in remote rural problems of exclusion and inequality region is that their political leadership
villages to poor and informal urban deny millions of poor and marginalised must take a collective resolve in the
localities in metropolitan cities. They people of their basic rights. region to promote right to sanitation
are exposed to severe health risks, Digging deeper into the issues, and dignified lives, work to provide
violence and adding to environmental early this year three non-governmental them and their children a disease free
pollution. Majority of schools in all the organisations carried out a review with a and healthy environment. How this
countries dont have toilets and hand cross section of poor and marginalised aspiration could be translated into
washing facilities for children, hence social groups across Bangladesh, a reality when region faces political
a chance to change behaviour in next India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka hostilities and struggling to share a
generation is missed out. seek qualitative information on common regional development vision.
Economically better performing peoples understanding of sanitation, Can the sanitation be a joining factor in
region in the time of global economic their sanitation and hygiene practices, this unfriendly political environment?
slowdown is facing daunting health the status of sanitation infrastructure The head of government from South
challenges emanating from basic and facilities in their communities, and Asia will be gathering in southern
sanitation and hygiene, the problem their reflections on why interventions island of Maldives for 17th SAARC
which developed world faced and and projects in their settlements had summit in early November. In 25 years
resolved in early 18th century as a succeeded or failed. and 16 summits, Sanitation has never
fundamental to human development. However the collection of voices been on the agenda of SAARC. People
This deficit in human development from diverse people and communities in South Asia are looking to see a
might be consequential for future that follow different cultures and country comes forward to stop them
economic development potential. The traditions, live under different drowning in sea of shit. SAARC has
economic, social and environmental governments and regimes, and face demonstrated that it can make things
consequences of this situation are different struggles and hardships, happen with political will on the back.
globally known. The World Bank when comes to sanitation and hygiene There are several successes on the
estimates that the consequences they seem to speak almost the credit to SAARC.
of inadequate sanitation cost India same language and some very clear It is a high time for SAARC political
approximately USD 53.8 billion 6.4 % messages have emerged from the leadership to come up with clear and
of GDP every year and Bangladesh review. The people in South Asian want ambitious targets, timeline and cash
BDT 295.5 billion (US$4.2 billion)-6.3% a clean and healthy environment for sanitation- if South Asia makes
of GDP. In India alone every day, more for themselves and their families. progress-World makes progress on
than 1,000 children under the age of They aspire for dignity, privacy and sanitation MDGs. SAARC leadership
five die from diarrhoea caused by dirty freedom from a life of shame and need to recognise that sanitation is
water, lack of toilets and poor hygiene, embarrassment of defecating in the the building block of dignified society
placing India in the top spot in world open. They want functional toilets, in South Asia. They must recognise
diarrhoea rankings. With Pakistan and waste water disposal systems, and sanitation crisis in the region,
Bangladesh, two other South Asian adequate and regular arrangements diarrhoea is the biggest child killer in
nations follow close behind. for disposal of solid waste. the region.
Why is this pathetic condition are People believe that sanitation There is a greater challenge of
socially and politically accepted in programmes and projects have failed inequity in resource distribution
the region, which otherwise inspires because of a lack of involvement and and service provision. National
the world in many areas, or put commitment from both communities governments need to engage pro-
another way how this very basic and external agencies and the actively to provide stronger political
developmental challenge has been consequent lapses in technology, leadership to WASH; SAARC
addressed by developed countries? planning, implementation, supervision, can encourage such moves by

10
national governments. They need marginalised are being measure and development for which he mentioned
to work out a regional mechanism targeted. sanitation as a fundamental. Since
for implementation, coordination, Government of Sri Lanka has been Government of Sri Lanka was the
research and knowledge sharing and successful in achieving sanitation host of 4th SACOSAN conference, it
steering the plan through the existing millennium development goals as is the responsibility of it to share the
SAARC secretariat and strengthening well as leading the region in other sentiments of SACOSAN conference
South Asian Conference on Sanitation social sector indicators. It will be very with SAARC leadership with a clear
process. appropriate for Government of Sri political vision that why SAARC level
Information on WASH sector finance Lanka to share the health outcomes political commitment is required to turn
and service provision is inadequate and other social and economic the tide, before it is too late to invest in
coupled with data inconsistencies, benefits it has achieved through sanitation. The incoming 17th SAARC
definitional issues- hence creating improving sanitation and hygiene summit provides an opportunity.
bottlenecks to measure progress with other government in region and
and ensure accountability. SAARC lead the process through SAARC. Mustafa Talpur is Regional Advocacy
Governments need to work together The president of Sri Lanka made Manager WaterAid-South Asia
to strengthen monitoring and financial very inspiring speech during fourth
reporting and improve transparency South Asian Conference on Sanitation http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_
over WASH budget allocations and in April this year and committed cat=article-details&page=article-
expenditure to ensure poor and most his government vision for human details&code_title=38696

South Asian Conference on sanitation opens

in Colombo
by Ifham Nizam

Minister of Water Supply and Drainage to Thursday to tackle the sanitation According to the United Nations
Dinesh Gunawardena said the country crisis in the region. Childrens Fund, diarrhoea and
had a total coverage, in safe water and Around one billion people or 64 pneumonia are the main cause of
sanitation, of 85.5 percent in 2011. percent of the total population in South child modality, causing more than one
We have now set our own target Asia lack access to proper sanitation million deaths in South Asia in 2008.
to reach 100 percent coverage in safe and more than 2.8 million children It is estimated that safe disposal of
sanitation and water by 2020. We are under the age of five face severe health excreta and improved hygiene practices
confident that it will be achieved, because risks, according to a recent report by could have reduced related deaths by 65
our reconstruction programmes are WaterAid, an international non-profit percent.
centered to provide better sanitation and organisation, that helps people escape About one billion people in South
quality water supply for all people, said the poverty and disease caused by living Asian nations do not practice proper
Gunawardena, addressing the Fourth without safe water and sanitation. sanitation and remain exposed to severe
South Asia Conference on Sanitation The report said: The South Asian health risks in addition to environmental
yesterday in Colombo. countries India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, pollution, Mustafa Talpur, the Regional
He said He said sanitation was a Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Advocacy and Policy Advisor for
basic need and fundamental necessity Maldives pledged their commitment WaterAid said.
for human beings to live with dignity. at the first South Asian Conference on He said only Sri Lanka and Maldives
Unfortunately, governments across Sanitation in 2003 to meet the United in South Asia have achieved progress in
the world face mounting challenges to Nations Millennium Development the water and sanitation sector.
ensure this basic facility for its people, Goals on water and sanitation, which The Centre for Environmental
he said. aims at achieving a 50 percent reduction Justice (CEJ) and Friends of the Earth
Gunawardena said that according in the number of people without proper Sri Lanka said nearly 200,000 people
to United Nations 2.6 billion in the sanitation by 2015. are still engaged in open defecation in
world do not have improved sanitation But the promises made by most of the Sir Lanka and urged the government
facilities. The most disconcerting fact is South Asian countries seem to be futile commitment to provide clean water and
that 72 per cent of this lives in Asia. This as thousands of children below the age toilet facilities for them.
gives us food for thought, he added. of five still die every day due to improper
The fourth South Asian Conference sanitation, and one in every eight people http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_
on Sanitation will be held in the Sri drink contaminated water across South cat=ar ticle-details&page=ar ticle-
Lankan capital Colombo from Monday Asia. details&code_title=22413

11
 Will Sanitation find a place in the agenda of
17th SAARC Summit?
Fri, 2011-11-04 00:21 editor

Alka Pande CNS factor is lack of public sector have failed because of lack of nations achieve their Millennium
investment and negligible or no involvement and commitment Development Goals. The Summit
More than a billion people do political commitment at higher from both communities and must recognise the sanitation
not have access to toilets in level, which has otherwise external agencies government crisis in the region where
South Asia. Over 700 million brought a change in the or non-government. Besides there diarrhoea is the biggest child
of these people defecate in developed world. had been lapses in technology, killer.
the open and get exposed to There is political planning, implementation, The Summit members need
severe health risks, violence commitment to change but it is supervision, support, and to act proactively to provide
besides adding to environmental not of the desired level. There are above all, accountability. They stronger political leadership to
pollution. On top of this, majority policies and investments but they suggested that in order to WASH (Water Sanitation Hygiene)
of schools without toilets and are not adequate. The region also make services sustainable and issues. They can encourage their
handwashing facilities, which faces the inherent problem of programmes successful, the respective national governments
restrict the behaviour change exclusion which denies millions quality of construction work in this regard. They need to work
in the next generation, are only of poor and marginalised people should be improved, corruption out a regional mechanism for
making the situation worse. The of their basic rights, says should be controlled and implementation, co-ordination,
above situation has brought the Mustafa Talpur of UK based an effective operation and research and knowledge sharing
South Asian at a crossroad where charity WaterAid, in Pakistan. maintenance system should be and steering the plan through
though they are performing Digging deeper into the established. the existing SAARC secretariat
better economically but at the issue, early this year three non- A common but predominant and strengthening the process
same time facing daunting government organisations message emerged from peoples of South Asian Conference on
health challenges. carried out a study involving voices across the region was Sanitation (SACOSAN).
Ironically, this problem was a cross section of poor and that their political leaderships Information related to
resolved in the developed world marginalised social groups must take a collective resolve in finance and service provisions,
as early as 18th century, after a across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, the region to promote right to is inadequate in the WASH
realisation that sanitation and Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The study sanitation and assure dignified sector and this becomes worse
hygiene are the fundamentals to sought information on peoples lives to people by providing them due to data inconsistencies and
human development. understanding of sanitation, and their children with a disease- definitional issues. This leads
However, this deficit in their sanitation and hygiene free and healthy environment. to bottlenecks in monitoring
human development may practices, the status of sanitation Now the question emerges as and accountability. SAARC
pose a barrier in the future infrastructure and facilities to how the peoples aspirations Governments need to work
economic growth of South in the communities and their could be translated into a reality together to strengthen monitoring
Asian nations. The World Bank reflections on why interventions when the region is facing political and financial reporting and
estimates that the consequences and projects in their settlements hostilities and struggling to share improve transparency over
of inadequate sanitation cost had succeeded or failed. a common regional development WASH budget allocations and
India approximately USD 53.8 The collection of voices of vision? expenditure to ensure that poor
billion (6.4 % of GDP), annually. diverse people from diverse The answer can evolve from and marginalised section of the
Similarly, Bangladesh is losing geographical and political the 17th South Asian Association society is covered.
USD 4.2 billion (6.3% of GDP) backgrounds, echoed with each for Regional Cooperation India, being a large, politically
per year. other. A common message that (SAARC) slated to be held this stable and economically growing
In India alone, more than emerged from the study is that month in the southern island nation should take up the
1,000 children under the age People in South Asia want a of Maldives where the heads of responsibility to raise the issue
of five die every year due to clean and healthy environment the governments in the South in the Summit. The nation can
diarrhoea caused by dirty water for themselves and their families. Asian nations will gather for also offer to lead the rest of the
and poor hygiene. The situation They aspire for dignity, privacy the summit. Incidentally, during SAARC nations in ensuring a
places India in the top spot in the and freedom from a life of shame last 16 summits in 25 years time clean, pollution and disease-free
world diarrhoea rankings with and embarrassment. They want sanitation had never been on the environment to the citizens of
Pakistan and Bangladesh closely functional toilets, waste water agenda of SAARC Summit. this region.
following. disposal systems, and adequate The meeting should focus
The question is why such a and regular arrangements for on clear and ambitious targets, h t t p : / / w w w. a s i a n t r i b u n e.
pathetic condition is socially and disposal of solid waste. appropriate timelines and com/news/2011/11/03/will-
politically accepted in the South People believe that sanitation sufficient funds for sanitation sanitation-find-place-agenda-
Asian is region? The predominant programmes and projects in order to help South Asian 17th-saarc-summit

12
Written by: Chandani Jayatilleke

13
14
 For South Asians, sanitation means dignity
and cleanliness
Friday, 4 Nov 2011

Amar Guriro clean. As the day starts with cleaning,

the whole day then becomes very active
KARACHI For the people of South and happy.
Asia, sanitation means dignity and Pakistans Sughran Bibi a housewife
cleanliness, said a report released from Jungle Barali, Vehari district,
on Thursday by WaterAid together Punjab said, In the absence of
with the Freshwater Action Network sanitation facilities, people feel degraded,
South Asia (FANSA) and the Water especially when guests arrive. Many
Supply and Sanitation Collaborative of the people also associates sanitation people have migrated from this area just
Council (WSSCC). The report titled with notions of happiness, pride, safety, because of poor sanitation. Veerkala
South Asian peoples perspective on health and education. The study appeals from Kota Dewara, Uttar Pradesh,
sanitation has been released ahead to policymakers to revamp institutional India, said, Everyone in the village goes
of the South Asian Association for mechanisms that invite community to the nearby fields for defecation. It
Regional Cooperation (SAARC)s social participation in sanitation projects. is dirty, troublesome, time-consuming
policy forum to be held in The Maldives Above all, the study calls for greater and dangerous, especially for women
on November 10 and 11 prior to the accountability and transparency and physically-challenged people. It is
SAARC Summit. measures and a focus on human-centered very common for pigs to attack us from
The report put together from development, targeting the below- behind when we are squatting in the
interviews conducted in South Asian poverty communities in India and the field. We are forced to take someone
countries, focus group discussions held hardcore-poor of Bangladesh and Nepal. along when going out to the fields.
with underprivileged communities and WSSCCs Archana Patkar said, SAARC Ram Avtar a prominent member
social groups across Bangladesh, India, needs to recognise the sanitation crisis of the community from Bhora village,
Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka aims in the region and challenge the inequity Jalaun district, Uttar Pradesh, India
to bring the people behind the crude in the provision and distribution said, We waste so much time in going
statistics into the sanitation debate. of resources. Governments need to to the doctor and then waste so much
Talking about the report, WaterAids engage proactively in matters related money on medicines. By just paying a
Mustafa Talpur said sanitation has never to water, sanitation and hygiene. She little bit attention to sanitation, we can
been on the agenda of SAARC in 16 added, The regional mechanisms for save all that time and money and thereby
summits over the span of 25 years. He implementation, coordination, research enhance our economic condition.
said, The Millennium Development and knowledge-sharing through the HA Chandana from Uva province,
Goal target for sanitation to be achieved existing SAARC Secretariat is needed Sri Lanka, said, Considering the
by 2015 rests with countries in South to strengthen the process of the South United Nations standards, it is the
Asia. If South Asia makes progress on Asian Conference on Sanitation. duty of the Sri Lankan government to
sanitation, then the world will make When asked how sanitation is ensure access to water and sanitation.
progress. essential for life, Pakistans Mohammad Maya Chaudhari a social activist from
In South Asia, promising economic Rafiq an illiterate daily-wage worker Chhotipaliya, Kailali district, Nepal
growth is countered with poor human from the peri-urban Choa Ganj Ali said, When people really want it,
development, poverty and disease, with Shah, Chakwal district, Punjab said, change is definitely possible. There have
almost half the regions population Sanitation is an important part of our been incredible changes in my village.
without improved sanitation and over religion too. Cleanliness helps a person Sanitary conditions have improved in a
700 million people forced to defecate in get a better education and higher position short period of time and the prestige of
the open. in society. Washing ones hands with the villagers has skyrocketed among the
FANSAs Ramisetty Muraili said, soap after defecation is very important neighboring settlements. Chhotipaliya is
The report clearly indicates that people for maintaining hygiene. Food hygiene treated as a model for people from other
want to live a life of dignity and health, prevents diseases and keeps children parts of the district.
but are frustrated by lack of effective healthy. Punitha from Chinnaviai
support and failure of poorly planned an urban panchayat in Kanyakumari h t t p : / / w w w. p a k i s t a n t o d a y.
and implemented projects, whereas some district, Tamil Nadu, India said, com.pk/2011/11/for-south-
communities are reluctant to adopt safe Sanitation is the basis for happiness asians-sanitation-means-
hygiene practices because of sociological and satisfaction. It urges me to get up %E2%80%98dignity%E2%80%99
and cultural barriers and extreme early and my first thought of the day -and-%E2%80%98cleanliness
poverty. Moreover, the collective voice is to keep my home and surroundings %E2%80%99/

15
 Govt. aims at water safe water, sanitation for all
by 2020 Dinesh
April 4, 2011, 10:10 pm
Target reached three years ahead: Sri Lanka achieves MDG on water and sanitation

By Shanika SRIYANANDA improved sanitation facilities and centred community led approach. taken to address this issue?
safe drinking water, many in India, Other SACOSANs were held A: We have given equal
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, in Islamabad, Pakistan and priority to supplying pipe-borne
Afghanistan and Bhutan die and New Delhi, India. Hosting this water to the plantations, coastal
suffer due to water and sanitation- important conference, which areas and the North and the East.
related health problems. helps save millions of lives in the Over 32 new projects are to start
According to WaterAid, region, is very important to Sri to provide safe drinking water
the situation in the region Lanka, which has given priority for the people in the coastal belt.
is still shocking despite the to safe drinking water and better These projects to cost over One
commitments made at the sanitation facilities in its post- billion rupees will be built within
previous SACOSAN conferences. conflict development goals. the next four years, covering the
Power and Energy Minister Patali As 500 experts from SAARC Apart from the ministers entire island including Matara,
Champika Ranawaka countries gather in Colombo of the region, this conference Hambantota, Batticaloa, Jaffna,
Amidst international development at SACOSAN IV to review the will bring all agencies that Trincomalee, Mannar, Gampaha
agency WaterAid calling commitments set out in the Delhi work in the areas of water and and Kandy.
upon the South Asian region Declaration in 2008, WaterAid sanitation together. They would Slum dwellers are also to get
to invest more in sanitation to has warned that all countries in deliberate on different issues access to pipe-borne water, but
save the lives of over 2.8 million South Asia except the Maldives such as climate change, water there is a problem here as most
children under the age of five, and Sri Lanka are currently off and sanitation and will discuss slums are regarded as temporary
the Sri Lankan Government track to meet the Millennium how to improve health through structures, prevents the Water
said the island had achieved Development Goal (MDG) to improving better sanitation Board from providing them with
the United Nations Millennium halve the proportion of people conditions and safe drinking a piped water supply.
Development Goals on water currently living without access to water. We are very proud to host Providing quality drinking
and sanitation that targeted a a toilet. this important event. water and better sanitation
coverage of 84.5 percent by 2015, Q: SACOSAN is a very facilities is important as a
three years ahead. important conference for the High standards preventive tool to many water
Minister of Water Supply and South Asian region, which is still Q: Compared to other countries and sanitation-related illnesses.
Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena lagging behind in the UN MDGs. in the region, Sri Lanka records Q: Improving school
said that Sri Lanka had a total How do you see Sri Lankas a high standard with regard to sanitation is another important
coverage in water and sanitation opportunity to host SACOSAN water and sanitation. Are you area that needs urgent attention
of 85.5 percent in 2011 and had IV? satisfied with this achievement? as there are over 1,299 schools
set its own target to reach 100 A: Yes, it is a very important A: Yes, Sri Lankas access to with poor sanitary facilities. How
percent by 2020. conference, where especially the quality drinking water is around do you plan to provide better
Sri Lanka is confident of ministers in-charge of water and 82 percent and access to pipe- sanitary facilities for schools?
achieving this target easily, sanitation will meet to discuss borne water in 2011 is over 40 A: Yes, this is an area that
because our reconstruction the future steps to be taken to percent. We have an annual needs urgent attention. It has
programmes are centred to provide address the issue in the South target of two percent to increase become a serious issue due to
better sanitation and quality water Asian region. The event will be the pipe-borne water supply. poor maintenance. Of the 1,299
supply for all people, he said. ceremonially opened by President We target over 50 percent schools, there are a few schools
In an interview with the Mahinda Rajapaksa who has access to pipe-borne water by which dont have any toilets,
Sunday Observer last Friday, recognised the importance of 2015. but the majority suffer due to
just two days prior to Sri Lanka addressing this crucial issue. In some areas people do not poor maintenance. However,
hosting the fourth South The first SACOSAN in Dhaka want pipe-borne water as they the Ministry together with the
Asian Conference on Water in 2003 was a landmark event have safe drinking water from Ministries of Education and Health
and Sanitation (SACOSAN) in in meeting the challenge of protected wells in their areas. has plans to address the issue of
Colombo, from April 4 to 8, the ensuring access to adequate Q: Though we have a good school sanitation. Building a toilet
Minister said Sri Lanka would sanitation for all South Asians. It island-wide coverage for water is not the only issue as it needs
be the most progressive story of resulted in the first ever regional, and sanitation, there are pockets better maintenance, to sustain
the region committed to provide ministerial level declaration on in slums, the coastal belt and the the facility. The Government
better water and sanitation to all sanitation in which governments estate sector where more attention alone cannot address this issue
Sri Lankans. committed themselves to needs to be paid to improving and needs the support of the
While Sri Lanka tops the other accelerate progress in sanitation access to safe drinking water and school authorities, parents, the
countries in the region with and hygiene through a people- sanitation. What are the steps community and the students.
16
 We need to increase the facing a tsunami, the decades- water and sanitation and has a Q: How many toilets do we
number of toilets and rest-rooms long battle against terrorism and good coverage island-wide. In need to achieve this target?
in schools. recent disasters such as floods 2000 the countrys sanitation A: Every family has access
Our target is to double and landslides. These disasters coverage was 69 percent and it to a toilet in Sri Lanka, but that
the present number of toilet, destroyed the countrys water was decided to extend it to 84.5 does not mean that every family
facilities in schools. Providing and sanitation coverage. All percent coverage in 2015 to has its own toilet. With regard to
better sanitary facilities for girls toilets in flood-hit areas had to meet the target set at the 2003 sanitation, this is the area we are
schools is another important be cleaned. SACOSAN. But we have already working on at the moment; we
requirement. In Sri Lanka there is only five achieved this target in 2011 as are paying attention to building
Q: Some NGOs are helping percent access to drainage systems we now have a coverage of 85.5 more toilets in the plantation and
improve sanitation in rural which is a serious issue.This need to percent. rural sectors. Over 200,000 people
schools. How do you expect them be tackled soon as it contaminates After reaching the target, still practise open defecation,
to provide more support? the ground water resources. We we have set our own target to especially in the coastal belt, rural
A: Unlike in other sectors, are seriously considering solutions achieve a 100 percent coverage villages and plantation sectors. Of
NGOs contribute a lot to improve to this problem. on better sanitation by 2020. the 20 million population, over
water and sanitation facilities Q: In the post-conflict Sri Lanka is confident that we 1.4 million people do not have
in rural areas. Apart from that, development process, water could achieve this easily as our safe toilet facilities.
the Ministry is also involved in a and sanitation play a vital role. reconstruction programmes We have channelled the
programme with the Samurdhi How do you plan to meet the helps promote better sanitation funds through Samurdhi through
Authority to build toilets in rural challenge? and a quality water supply to community participatory
areas through our Community A: The Government has the people when designing programmes to build toilets
Water and Sanitation Project. allocated a huge sum of money new housing projects after the in these sectors. This is a very
Thousands of toilets have thus for the water and sanitation tsunami, at slums, plantations successful approach as the
been built by a rotating fund. projects in the country. The major and resettled villages for former community is involved in their
Here the community is playing a ongoing projects in the country internally displaced people of the own affairs.
vital role by taking part in building cost over Rs. 60 billion and conflict in the North and the East. Q: You mentioned that there
toilets to their own communities. another Rs. 29 billion has been I should mention that there are some major water projects in
It is easy to manage these projects allocated from this years budget are special programmes to the North and the East. What is
when the community in that for new projects. They will be improve water and sanitation in the progress of these projects to
area is given the opportunity to channelled through the National the plantation sector, which were provide safe drinking water for
manage their own affairs. Under Water Supply and Drainage Board lacking for the last 30 years. people in the North and the East?
this project, we have been able to to rural water and sanitation A: In Jaffna quality drinking
build toilets, village by village. projects. Sri Lanka has a fairly Dhaka declaration water is a major problem. We
Public toilets, which are balanced programme to provide Q: Sri Lanka had signed the have addressed it through the
built at transport points, are safe drinking water and improved Dhaka Declaration in 2003 and implementation of a massive
in poor condition due to poor sanitary facilities for the people. also participated in all the former water scheme to supply water
maintenance. The responsibility As President Rajapaksa said, SACOSAN conferences. What is from the Iranamadu Tank in
of maintaining them lies with the leading the country to make it the progress made since then? Kilinochchi by developing a 600
local authorities, who should pay the Wonder of Asia is a leap A: Sri Lanka has made km pipeline. Water schemes
attention to improve the quality forward and I am proud to say tremendous progress in terms have also come up in Mannar
of their services. we are ready to take up that of percentage in achieving the and Vavuniya to provide safe
challenge. set target as I mentioned earlier. drinking water.
National monitoring system Having better health facilities We are committed to what we Two water schemes funded
Q: Do we have a national than the others in the region, have agreed at the SACOSAN by the ADB and JAICA to provide
monitoring system to pay more Sri Lanka faces no challenge in meetings and the improvements water for over 50,000 people in
attention to areas where they need providing people safe drinking made after each SACOSAN will Ampara are coming up while
improved water and sanitation? water and quality sanitation. prove it. I am proud to say that another scheme also founded by
A: Yes, there is a survey and We will achieve our own targets Sri Lanka is the most progressive the ADB to provide quality water
study, which are carried out once soon to meet the Governments story in the region. I would like to over 58,000 people in Muttur
every three years. According to new goal development in the to remind you of what former will commence soon. The MoU
these studies, we are lagging a post conflict era. Indian President Abdul Kalam in this regard will be signed this
little behind our own set targets Q: According to the UN MDGs mentioned when he addressed week.
in providing safe drinking water in rural areas in South Asia 76 the foundation session. He said Covering the estate sector,
and better sanitation facilities. percent of the population do the target should be to give six massive water schemes will
As I mentioned earlier, Sri not use proper sanitation; in a toilet for each house. This come up while projects are to
Lanka is much better in providing urban areas it is 34 percent. The shows how acute the problem of be implemented to provide safe
safe drinking water and SACOSANs target is to meet the sanitation is. India needs millions drinking water to people in the
sanitation to our people, but we target by 2015. Are we ready to of toilets, but Sri Lanka, which coastal belt.
should not be complacent. achieve this? has already met the set target,
But we are happy to have A: Yes, Sri Lanka is doing better will reach our own target by http://www.sundayobserver.
achieved this progress while in addressing issues related to 2015. lk/2011/04/03/fea02.asp

17
 SACOSAN ends with pledges
DAWN.COM Saleem Shaikh 11th April, 2011

COLOMBO: The heads of the

delegations from the eight South
Asian countries here on Thursday
adopted the Colombo Ministerial
Declaration at the concluding session
of the fourth South Asian Conference
on Sanitation (SACOSAN IV).

They affirmed in the declaration the

value of the SACOSAN process in
maintaining political momentum to
tackle the sanitation crisis and renewed
their joint commitment to invest in the
people of the region through policies
and programmes that deliver sustainable
sanitation and hygiene to all. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa addresses SACOSAN Ministerial Summit
The signatories of the declaration also in Colombo. Minister of States and Frontier Regions Engineer Shaukat Ullah is also
recognised the potential of sanitation seen. Photo by Saleem Shaikh
to empower communities and to be a
powerful entrypoint for development.
They committed to work and adopt participation, inclusion and the key to overall socio-economic uplift.
progressively to realise the right to social accountability mechanisms from However, it is need of the hour to divert
sanitation in programmes and projects planning to implementation in all colossal funds being wasted on wars and
and eventually in legislation in their sanitation and hygiene programmes. conflicts to development research and
respective countries; develop time- The heads of the regional countries technology to fight poverty and ease
bound plans and allocate as well as delegations further called on suffering.
mobilise resources for delivering on all development banks, external support Public expenditure on rural centric
previous SACOSAN commitments; agencies and the private sector to increase initiatives and on farmers, on children
design and deliver context-specific their support to provide financial and and similar expenditures on the
equitable and inclusive sanitation technical assistance for sanitation and provision of water, sanitation and clean
and hygiene programmes including hygiene in South Asia. environment are more productive and
better identification of the poorest The four-day SACOSAN IV which beneficial to the welfare of the citizens.
and most marginalised groups in rural began under the theme Sanitation Thus, at a ministerial conference such
and urban areas; raise the profile of Enhances Quality of Life concluded on as this, our determination should be
water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) April 7. It was attended by 450 delegates, to appeal to the world to divert their
in schools; set up one national body 320 foreign delegates, ministers, policy defense expenditure to development
with responsibility for coordinating makers, senior civil servants, grass-roots the Sri Lankan president said.
sanitation and hygiene, involving all activists, professionals from academia, He urged the South Asian
stakeholders including those responsible NGOs, development partners and the governments to strive for achieving
for finance, health, public health, private sector from South Asian and the Millennium Development Goals
environment, water, education, gender other regions. (MDGs) within the stipulated time of
and local government at national, The SACOSAN is a government-led 2015.
sub-national and local levels; establish biennial convention held on a rotational The heads of delegations, experts
specific public sector budget allocations basis in each South Asian Association of on water and sanitation, international
for sanitation and hygiene programmes; Regional Countries (SAARC). donor organisations including
to recognise the importance of peoples Inaugurating the ministerial summit, United Nations, World Bank, Unicef,
own contribution towards sanitation; president of the Democratic Socialist WHO, WaterAid, Freshwater Action
develop harmonised monitoring Republic of Sri Lanka Mahinda Network South Asia (FANSA) and
mechanisms with roles and defined Rajapaksa underlined the need for government representatives from South
responsibilities, using agreed common political will of the respective countries Asian countries, key leaders of other
indicators that measure and report on to implement the commitments on national and international civil society
processes and outcomes at every level; sanitation and water, especially with organisations agreed on the need for more
include in monitoring mechanisms regards to schools, poor section of people spending on increasing access of safe
specific indicators for high priority and the differently able people. sanitation, hygiene and drinking water
measures such as WASH in schools, He said: Safe sanitation, hygiene and water infrastructure development,
hand washing and menstrual hygiene; and provision clean drinking water are to the people of the region.

18
 After extended and in-depth of the total number of child mortality engaged with international partners
deliberations, discussions and meetings cases in Pakistan are caused by water and and donor agencies to accelerate the
at the South Asia Conference on sanitation related diseases and 20-40 per implementation of the sanitation agenda.
Sanitation IV, they concluded that cent of hospital beds in the country are Besides, projects worth US$ 61 million
no country can achieve sustainable occupied by patients suffering from such are under implementation at different
economic growth without improving its diseases. stages in the implementation cycle.
sanitation, water, education and health Nevertheless, Pakistan is committed The National Disaster Management
profiles. to extending improved sanitation facility Authority (NDMA) has in the pipeline
The countries in the region sustain to 67 per cent of population by 2015. US$ 244 million worth of projects
significant economic losses equal to at Review of sanitation date of government under WASH cluster.
least 5.8 per cent of the total regional indicate that the use of latrines has Talking about impacts of the projects
GDP due to poor sanitation. increased significantly from 57 per cent and interventions for promotion of
Most shockingly, children and adults in 2001-2002 to 78 per cent in 2008-09 safe sanitation and hygiene, Head of
are still dying needlessly. Since the last and open defecation has decreased from WaterAid Pakistan, Abdul Hafeez, said
SACOSAN, about 750,000 of South 43 per cent to 22 per cent during this that interventions and projects aimed
Asias children have died of diarrhoea, period, he said. for safe sanitation, hygiene and clean
said Amarananda Abeygunasekara, Sri And given this baseline, the country drinking water have followed different
Lankan secretary in the Ministry of has progressed and succeeded in trajectories, which have produced
Water Supply and Drainage. providing access to improved sanitation divergent outcomes.
Earlier, Pakistans Minister for to 45 per cent of the population by 2008-
States and Frontier Regions Engineer 09 that brings it closer to the attainment http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/10/
Shaukat Ullah, in the country progress of MDG of Sanitation by 2015, Shaukat colombo-declaration-adopted-amid-
report The MDG of Sanitation for Ullah said confidently. pledges-to-invest-more-in-sanitation.
SACOSAN IV, said that 60 per cent He said, The government is html

Pakistans Failure on SACOSAN

Commitments
DAWN.COM By Saleem Shaikh 1st April, 2011

The report also notes that in Pakistan

some 45 per cent people use
improved sanitation facilities while
90 per cent have access to improved
drinking water sources. But, water and
sanitation experts dispute the findings,
saying that situation is worse than the
figure shows. AP File Photo
Three years back, Pakistan had
made commitment at the 3rd South
Asian Conference on Sanitation
(SACOSAN) to improve access of the
people to safe water and sanitation and
hammer out and put in place policies
and programmes to achieve this. But,
the country is way behind as far as
implementation of the commitments is Along with the other South Asian government of Pakistan, within an
concerned. countries, Pakistan had recognised stipulated timeframe, would assign
The 3rd SACOSAN took place in access to safe sanitation and drinking priority to sanitation, improve
New Delhi in 2008 under the theme of water as a fundamental human right conditions of sanitary workers and
Sanitation for Dignity and Health. The at the SACOSAN and pledged to leave no stone unturned to achieve
conference was attended by country incorporate water and sanitation in the Millennium Development Goals
representatives of the all South Asian countrys Constitution as basic human (MDGs) within deadline of 2015,
countries to discuss state of water rights. ensure basic access to improved
and sanitation issues and challenges Federal Minister for Environment sanitation facilities to all by reducing
in their respective countries to come at that time, Hameedullah Jan Afridi disparities by means of substantial
up with strategies to tackle them. had made commitments that the budgetary allocations, with pro-active

19
participation, contribution, decision- also made commitment that it would of WaterAid in Pakistan.
making and deepening sense of establish a performance monitoring Following devolution of power in
ownership among communities. mechanism for sanitation. But, no 2001, under the Local Government
The SACOSAN conference is a such move has been adopted. Ordinance (LGO) 2001, it was felt
high-powered ministerial meeting. Failure to achieve the SACOSAN that provision of water and sanitation
The first conference was held in 2003 targets demonstrates the governments services needed to improve from the
in Bangladesh, second in 2006 in lack of seriousness towards improving abysmally dismal state. A large portion
Islamabad and third in 2008 in New peoples safe access to the sanitation, of urban and rural areas were intended
Delhi. said Abdul Hafeez, of WaterAid in to receive services and programmes
The fourth SACOSAN is set to open Pakistan. and funds were earmarked. But, such
this year in Colombo from April 4 and Child mortality in the country is intentions never transpired into reality.
will conclude on April 9. around 97 in every 1,000 births, while However, the complications of the
So far it seems all governments diarrhoea accounts for 14 per cent devolved system mean urban areas
in the region, except Sri Lanka and of the total deaths. Estimated annual have benefited but the rural areas still
Maldives, have been unable to diarrhoea deaths in 2008 were put face the same uphill task.
implement actions and commitments at 59,220 second to India, where The yawing urban-rural disparity in
they subscribed to at the 3rd around 413,400 die from diarrhoea, the use improved sanitation facilities is
SACOSAN with regard to ameliorating according to WaterAid in Pakistan. a cause of serious concern.
the state of access to sanitation. In Pakistan, poor sanitation has According to WHO, only 29 per cent
According to WaterAids report emerged to be a major obstacle in the people in rural Pakistan have access
Sanitation Crisis Continues in South fight against child mortality. Strong to improved sanitation facilities. These
Asia, some 1.027 billion (64 per cent) political will is direly needed to address are the people who spend estimated
out of 1.595 billion people in the region this crisis, said a senior official in the over 60 per cent of their household
lack access to improved sanitation and federal ministry of environment, who income to fight different water-borne
almost every second person practices preferred anonymity. diseases. On the other hand, estimated
open defecation. Both the costs associated with lack 72 per cent people in urban areas have
The report highlights that almost of access to safe water and sanitation access to improved sanitation.
two-thirds of the population in the and benefits obtained from it are very The Pakistan Strategic
region face indignity everyday simply important for the poor segment of the Environmental Assessment
for performing the natural function of society. (World Bank 2006) concludes that
defection. Besides, around 716 million The ratio of economic benefits from environmental degradation costs more
people out of the 1.027 billion, who are investment of US $1 in water and than 365 billion annually, substantial
without improved sanitation facilities sanitation infrastructure is estimated portion of which comes from ailing
practices open defection and thus are to yield benefits to the tune of US $9 water and sanitation infrastructure.
exposed to severe health risks. in developing countries like Pakistan However, given the pace of work
The report also notes that in (WHO 2008). political will and allocation of funds
Pakistan some 45 per cent people Under MDG, Pakistan has for strengthening water and sanitation
use improved sanitation facilities while committed to achieve target by 2015 infrastructure, achieving Sanitation
90 per cent have access to improved of halving the proportion of people MDG in Pakistan seems to be a distant
drinking water sources. But, water and without access to safe and improved reality.
sanitation experts dispute the findings, sanitation. It is not possible without There is strong need that policy
saying that situation is worse than the increasing water supply and sanitation makers, politicians and those at the
figure shows. coverage to 93 per cent and 90 per helm of affairs realise unprecedented
As it pledged, the Pakistani cent, respectively, by 2015. (Water socio-economic benefits of the
government failed to incorporate Supply and Sanitation Programme, improved access to safe water,
access to safe sanitation in the Planning Commission of Pakistan) adequate sanitation.
national constitution. No progress Besides, the countrys sanitation Neglectful of this realisation on their
was made either on the second policy 2006 envisages that 100 per part will have grave socio-economic
major commitment made at the cent population shall have access to and health-related repercussions on
3rd SACOSAN ministerial summit, safe sanitation before 2015. the economic development of the
which was to pay adequate attention But, seeing the current pace of country, warned Mustafa Talpur.
to capacity building of the local work on the sanitation, the country is
government and improving working unlikely to achieve the sanitation MDG http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/01/
conditions of sanitary workers. before 2028, said Mustafa Talpur, pakistan%E2%80%99s-failure-on-
The Pakistani government had Regional Advocacy & Policy Advisor sacosan-commitments.html

20
 MPAs unaware of sanitation strategy
By: Ramzam Chandio | December 06, 2011 |

KARACHI Most of the MPAs are knowledge about any sanitation strategy It pointed out that the sewage is only
unaware about the recently approved prepared by the provincial government properly treated in the case of Karachi
Sindh Sanitation Strategy 2011 recently to improve the facilities. The in Sindh and even here the sewage
prepared by the Sindh government to Sindh government has recently prepared treatment plants operate at 60 percent
deal with the sanitation problems. the Sindh Sanitation Strategy 2011, in of their total capacity. The sewage in all
Even, some of the ministers as well which Sindhs sanitation sector is divided other cities in Sindh is discharged onto
as MPAs from ruling PPP have no into larger/smaller cities and villages land or water bodies.
knowledge about any policy recently (secondary towns, Hyderabad and mega The analysts said the Pakistan was
prepared by their own government city Karachi) to implement the plan already far from the UNs MDGs, under
through Local Government Department, easily. which Pakistan made commitment of
which runs under its minister Agha Siraj According to Sindh Sanitation sustainable access to safe and improved
Durrani. Strategy 2011, which is also available sanitation and provide safe drinking
The Sindh government had recently with The Nation, the strategic water to 93 percent of the population
approved the Sindh Sanitation Strategy interventions would be based on the by 2015. The government of Pakistan
2011, which was prepared by the local directions set-forth by the relevant is recognising that there are clear links
government through consultants of national policy guidelines and the between sanitation, water, health and
foreign aid agency. The officials concerned findings of a comprehensive stakeholder economic productivity has since then
claimed that strategy was approved consultation process to bring forth the took significant steps by making policies
after holding series of consultations issues and concerns specific to Sindh. and evolving strategies to achieve the
with provincial departments, district The strategy emphasises that commitments it made in UN and
government officers, civil society sanitation services development should SACOSAN. But more steps yet are to be
organisations and other stakeholders. be based on comprehensive and strategic taken by the government to reach close
But according to lawmakers, who are medium-term sanitation planning that to the world in providing improved
the main stakeholders in the process, follows the development of the current sanitation and safe drinking water to the
they were not taken on board during provincial sanitation strategy. This population, which are so far deprived of
the process of finalising this important planning process is important as it may this basic right, analysts observed.
strategy which actually relates to them take years for cities and towns in Sindh 17 arrested: Pakistan Rangers (Sindh)
as they are directly connected with the to meet all the requirements of total have arrested 17 suspected persons in
people. sanitation services. In the strategy, it has raids and snap checking during the past
In this regard, MPA Heer Soho of been emphasised that an efficient and 48 hours.
MQM while talking to The Nation timely implementation of the strategy This was stated by a spokesman of
expressed lack of knowledge about recommendations would require both the Rangers in a statement issued here
the existence of any sanitation policy. consistency and enforceability of the on Monday. It said that the Rangers
Bureaucracy does not consult with them relevant legal frameworks. conducted raids in various areas of
during finalisation of important policies The Sindh sanitation plan observed Karachi during the last 48 hours. The
such as water and sanitation strategy. I that system of sanitary drainage areas included Manghopir, Gulshan-
will take up the issue in the provincial throughout the Taluka areas is extremely i-Maymar Gadap Town, Singer
assembly as even Sindh Sanitation poor and predominately ineffective in its Chowrangi Landhi Town and Khayaban-
Strategy 2011 was not shared with the requirements to collect, treat and safely i-Shujaat Clifton Town. As many as 17
lawmakers, she added. dispose of human waste and surface suspected persons were arrested in these
However, Nusrat Sehar Abbasi of water. Coverage of the system of piped raids and snap checking. Seven weapons
PML-F shared the same views and underground sewers is very low and those and a motorcycle recovered from their
expressed her unawareness about any sewer systems that exist are generally possession, the Rangers statement added.
policy to deal with sanitation issues. old and badly maintained, the report
Provincial legislator Nawaz Chandio pointed out. The sewage treatment is http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-
of PPP said that bureaucrats prepared absent in all talukas and where exists, it news-newspaper-daily-english-online/
policies without taking lawmakers on is Oxidation Pond process adopted for national/06-Dec-2011/MPAs-unaware-
board. Some ministers, who wanted treatment before disposal in receiving of-sanitation-strategy
not to be named, said that they had no body i.e Irrigation Canal/Minor.

21
 2 Disasters
South Asia experiences monsoon rains from June through to September. The season is vital for replenishing
depleted water supplies and sustaining agriculture.
In 2010 however, monsoon rains brought one of the worst natural disasters in recent history to Pakistan.
Floods, spreading from north to south, displaced up to 20 million people and took over 2,000 lives. Homes
and livelihoods were destroyed and water and sanitation systems damaged, allowing waterborne diseases to
spread. In Sindh province, many families were struck again by severe flooding in 2011 two years in a row.
In India, the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh also faced inundation, affecting a further five million people; and
in Bangladesh the terrible legacy of Cyclone Aila remained, with many in southern parts of the country living in
poor conditions by road sides, with little or no access to clean water or sanitation.
Journalists in this forum reported tirelessly on these disasters. The following stories give an insight into local
situations and the critical need for safe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Women of Ghulam Rasool Mallah village in the Badin district, Pakistan, walking in flood water to fetch
drinking water from a nearby village. The 2011 flood affected large parts of Southern Pakistan.
Photo: Mustafa Talpur.

22
 Thatta flood survivors living
in miserable condition
By: Ramzam Chandio | August 31, 2010

KARACHI To wait for food and sleep been living at Makli graveyard for last government did not provide them
empty stomach, have no option but five days and had not received any transport facility. She rejected the
to drink contaminated water and lack relief including food or tent from the tall claims of government regarding
of medical facilities have plagued government. He expressed his worries supply of relief aid to flood affectees,
hundreds of thousands people of that how he would feed his children as saying that her two minor children had
District Thatta, who have migrated rice flour they brought was about to not received milk since three days,
temporarily towards Makli graveyard finish. while they prepare food from their own
under fear of floodwater. Moreover, An elderly woman Majia almost stuff which they brought with them.
almost 90 per cent of the total shared the same problems, saying Mai Rukhsana, who is 9 months
displaced people are living without that non-availability of potable water pregnant, was worried about her baby
shelter, under open sky, in miserable was their severe problem as they were who will come within next few days.
condition on hilly graveyard and along forced to fetch polluted water from She said that she could not managed
the Thatta-Karachi road and streets of the nearby well, which was not fit for a medical check-up because neither
Makli. human consumption. Sharing the there was any medical facility at camp
This scribe went to Thatta City on alarming situation at relief camps, she in the limits of the graveyard, nor she
Monday and visited relief camps, said that despite the fact that people had money to go to a private hospital.
where hundreds of thousands people threw polythene bags and other However, majority of the displaced
are staying under scorching-heat rubbish into the well water and even people complained about lack of
without any government relief. women wash their clothes from the relief aid, potable water and medical
The people from Thatta city, same water, they had no other option facilities.
Sujawal, Daro, Belo, Chohar Jamali, but to use the well water for drinking. Meanwhile, Sindh Culture Minister
Jati and other towns and villages are She said that children were getting Sassui Palijo told The Nation that the
living in 14th to 18th century old Makli sick due to consumption of polluted government was trying to provide
graveyard, where more than half a water, adding that the government relief to all the flood affectees. She,
million tombs and graves, spread on had turned a blind eye towards their however, admitted that food and
area of six square miles near Thatta problems. Nobody bothers to know potable water could be reached to all
city. how we are living; what problems we the flood devastated people so far.
Muhammad Usman Soorja, who confront; you yourself can observe
left his home from Sujawal city with 13 the abject miseries we are living in, he http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-
other family members, told The Nation lamented. news-newspaper-daily-english-online/
that he took 40 kg rice flour with him Rukhsana Mirbahar said that national/31-Aug-2010/Thatta-flood-
and other all belongings washed away they fled from homes after arrival survivors-living-in-miserable-
in floodwater. He said that he had of floodwater in Sujawal but the condition

23
 MP-local rep row deepens Aila victims woes
No rehabilitation yet in worst-hit Koyra, Shyamnagar

Mustafizur Rahman Satkhira He said the union was also approached the bank officials worst-affected areas that include
Hundreds of victims of the cyclone affected by devastating cyclone concerned several times but Dacope, Koyra, Ashashuni and
Aila in the worst affected areas Sidr in 2007. The people here they said the banks would begin Shyamnagar upazilas, reportedly
of Koyra and Dacope in Khulna are very poor. They have lost disbursing the funds as soon against the backdrop of slow
and Shyamnagar in Satkhira are everything and cannot return to as the administration gives the pace in the work of embankment
still living in roadside shacks their homes although saline water green light. According to local repairs by the Water Development
as the authorities have neither has receded in many places. administrations, some 27,400 Board. Only 500 families in
completed repairs in the badly- The government has distributed families in Koyra, 10,600 in Dacope Ashashuni had received the money
damaged embankments nor cheques for a total of Tk 96 crore and 9500 in Shyamnagar upazilas for house construction, said local
released funds for construction among 48,000 Aila-hit families were listed for allocation of Tk representatives. The people still
of houses. in Khulna and Satkhira for their 20,000 to each family through living on the embankments and
Sufferings of these coastal rehabilitation. Prime minister bank accounts and accordingly the roads in Koyra fear they might
people multiplied on the advent Sheikh Hasina on July 23 families listed as the worst victims not be able to return to their
of winter in early December with inaugurated the distribution of opened the accounts with Tk 10 homesteads lost in the water. He
various diseases spreading in the cheques at two separate rallies each with different bank branches said that more areas could come
affected areas due to scarcity of in Koyra and Shyamnagar and in the upazilas. under water permanently as some
safe water. declared that all the affected The local administration and narrow canals by the riverside
Locals in Gabura union under people would get the money for local government representatives embankments engulfed more
Shyamnagar upazila which house construction by July 31. primarily prepared lists of lands with some breaches going
was battered by Aila in 2009 We are aware of the sufferings of the Aila victims. But later, the beyond repair due to lack of timely
said that they could return to the Aila victims and taking steps army with the help of local action.
their homesteads now if they so that they get the money for representatives made fresh lists They forecast the water level
get the money allocated by the construction of houses soon, food after further scrutiny which also would be higher in the next rainy
government for each affected and disaster management minister drew criticism. season as the tidal water was
family. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque told Md Abdur Rashid, 60, of village rising even in winter.
They alleged that conflict New Age on Sunday. He, however, Majher Ait of Koyra upazila, A number of victims in Koyra
between a local lawmaker and said that the lawmaker of Satkhira said he, along with nine others said that the water was again
the chairman of Gabura union 4 constituency, HM Golam Reza, of his family, had been living intruding in their roadside shacks.
parishad, an area on the periphery had filed a writ with the High Court in a makeshift structure at his Our miseries know no bound as
of Sundarban, had delayed the against the list of victims prepared homestead and struggling to save children and elderly people are
release of funds Tk 20,000 for by the army with the help of local themselves from muddy water. I, feeling the bite of cold. We have
each family among the worst government representatives. after being listed, opened a bank no shelter There is saline water
affected people for building Abdur Razzaque, also account with Tk10 with the Koyra everywhere There is no greenery,
houses. I along with my husband responsible for overall branch of Sonali Bank in July but no agriculture and no dry land,
and six children have been living coordination of the rehabilitation I am yet to get the money. They said Abdul Mazid, 40 of Koyra
in this shack since May, 2009 in work in the affected areas, said (bank officials) said that they Sadar. Once a farmer, Mazid is
inhuman conditions. We have that the army was engaged in were awaiting directives from now a day labourer. He said the
opened a bank account but did work to expedite the repairs of the administration to distribute poor and the rich of the area had
not get any money to return to the damaged embankment by the funds, he said. A senior now become equal after Aila had
our homestead lost in the Aila, January 2011. HM Golam Reza officer of the Sonali Banks Koyra pounded the coastal belt. At least
said Momtaz, 45, of Gabura. alleged that the list of victims branch said the funds for the Aila- 190 people were killed, scores
She said her 60-year old prepared by the army with the affected families in the area had injured, large tracts of cropland
husband could not do hard work assistance of the union parishad already been deposited with the damaged and several thousand
due to old-age complications chairman was full of anomalies. bank. Upazila nirbahi officer of houses were totally or partially
and as a result she could hardly I filed a petition against the list Koyra Md Abul Basar told New damaged when the cyclone Aila
make both ends meet. Momtaz, with the High Court as it was Age that the money would be lashed the south-western coastal
who sometimes works as a influenced by the UP chairman. distributed on completion of the areas on May 25, 2009.
day labourer, has no financial Gabura union parishad embankment repairs so that the According to official records,
capacity to build a house. We chairman GM Shafiul Azam Lenin fund for construction of houses around 1.5 lakh people belonging
have no choice but to stay on the rejected the allegation saying was not misused. He, however, to 48,000 families were worst hit
road in this winter. that the army-prepared list was said that repair of embankment at in Dacope, Koira, Ashashuni and
SM Sirajul Islam, Gabura union flawless. The matter, he hoped, Mothbaria village point remained Shyamnagar.
parishad member, said around would be settled soon as the a big challenge for the water
1,000 families out of 8,300 High Court was going to hear the development board. New Age, December 28/2010:
affected by Aila in the area were petition in January. The prime minister in March h t t p : / / w w w. n e w a g e b d .
still living in roadside shanties. The locals said that they had ordered deployment of army in the com/2010/dec/28/front.html

24
 Five million people hit by monsoon floods in India
By Nita Bhalla

Sat Sep 3, 2011 4:16am IST

NEW DELHI (AlertNet) More

than five million people in India
have been hit by floods caused by
annual monsoon rains, forcing many
to flee as rivers burst their banks and
torrents of water washed away homes,
aid workers and government officials
said on Friday.

South Asia experiences monsoon rains

from June to September, which are
vital for its agriculture. But the rains
frequently affect millions of people in
countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal devastating
crops, destroying homes and sparking
outbreaks of diseases such as diarrhoea said government officials, adding that of embankments that are regularly
and dysentery. authorities had deployed rescue and breached.
Aid workers estimate that 5.2 relief teams with hundreds of boats, to In Bihar, where about 2.6 million
million people in the worst hit areas of dispatch aid to flood-hit communities people from 1,364 villages have been
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam in the and set up around 200 relief camps. affected, major rivers are continuing to
northeast of the country have had their Of the 29 districts which have rise above danger levels. Local authorities
lives disrupted by the flooding, which been affected by floods, 10 are in a say they have launched relief and
was sparked by incessant rains that critical state, said the states Relief rehabilitation works on a war-footing,
caused burgeoning rivers to overflow Commissioner K.K. Sinha, adding that but hundreds of angry villagers have
and embankments to breach. 158 people about 70,000 people were homeless and been protesting, complaining of the lack
have died so far, mainly due to drowning. around 300,500 hectares of mainly rice of aid.
The number of people affected by paddy had been destroyed. Weve been left to starve. There is
the floods has more than doubled in just no one to take care of us, Nitu
the last ten days. We have sent teams PROTESTS Devi, a local village elder, told reporters
to do more accurate assessments of the Monsoon rains often cause mighty rivers during a demonstration outside the
situation, but we do feel its going to get like the Brahmaputra and its tributaries office of the district magistrate in Bihars
worse, warned John Roche, country to rise to dangerous levels and overflow, flood-hit Bhojpur area on Friday.
representative for the International inundating vast low-lying areas. We have lost both the present and
Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) in Experts say decades of mass the future, she said, referring to the
India, adding that it some places it was deforestation have led to soil erosion fact that their homes, as well as their
continuing to rain. where sediment is washed downstream, mainstay of income rice paddy had
Roche said villagers remained ending up in rivers where it builds up been destroyed by the disaster.
stranded in some areas as flood waters on the river bed and raises the levels of
had made it difficult for search and rescue water far higher than normal. (Additional reporting by Alka Pande in
teams to reach them, while hundreds of Poor management in regulating Lucknow, Biswajyoti Das in Assam)
thousands of people had been displaced water levels in dams has also led to huge
and forced to seek refuge on higher volumes being released into rivers over a (Editing by Rebekah Curtis
ground until water levels receded. short period and local populations have
In the most severely affected state of accused officials of siphoning off funds http://in.reuters.com/
Uttar Pradesh, 125 people have died and meant for flood risk projects, resulting a r t i c l e / 2 0 1 1 / 0 9 / 0 2 /
around 2 million have been affected, in shoddy repair and the construction idINIndia-59118920110902

25
 200,000 wait for aid in Umerkot
By A.B. Arisar 10th September, 2011

UMERKOT, Sept 9: More than in the villages of union councils Talhi, tube burst and both drowned. Another
200,000 rain victims who have taken Nabisar road, Fazal Bhambhro and of body was found near Kunri.
shelter in government buildings them 3,000 have been rescued through The rain victims who were migrating
and on sand dunes are waiting for boats but many are still missing. to safe places along with their livestock
relief goods and tents but there is no Water level in Nara canal rose in the have to pay three times high fares
government functionary to take care wake of continuous rains and water was because the government has not made
of their needs. released into old Dhoro in order to save any arrangements to shift them.
Umerkot, Chhore and other areas. Officials of revenue, irrigation and
The unabated heavy rains have flooded As a result Dhoro developed four roads departments are missing from the
the entire district of Umerkot, caused breaches and inundated more than 20 district.
thousands of houses to collapse, villages, including villages of Choudhry Our Sanghar correspondent adds:
displaced 400,000 people and led to Shah Nawaz, Mithu Maher and Natha Inhabitants of many villages have
breaches in almost all canals, minrs and Singh. taken shelter in government schools in
distributaries. Khalid Kumbhar, a social activist the wake of large scale destruction in
Most displaced people took shelter busy in rescue work in Kunri taluka, Sanghar after heavy rainfall.
in government buildings or on high told Dawn that more than 100,000 Over 75 per cent government schools
ground like roads, sand dunes, forts and people had taken shelter on sand dunes have been converted into relief camps
banks of canals. and banks of canals near Nohto and they where rain hit people are facing acute
According to an estimate, more than were hungry. shortage of relief goods.
250,000 people are still living in the Sources said that two men drowned
open and looking towards government near Haido village when they were trying h t t p : / / w w w . d a w n .
for food, water, shelter, medicines. to go across a flooded area with the help com/2011/09/10/200000-wait-for-aid-
Over 20,000 people were stranded of an inflated tube but unfortunately the in-umerkot.html

26
 For flood-hit women, answering call of nature
is a question
Text and Photo by AMAR GURIRO Monday, 17 Oct 2011

KARACHI In the absence of

sanitation facilities, Taijee Jogi
and her two dozen female
relatives have to wait till night to
go to the sporadic bush patches
near their colony for urination
and defecation.
Until three months back, they
could do this whenever they
wanted. But after the recent
monsoon rains inundated their
almost entire area, they are left
with no choice but to wait until
it is dark so that everybody in the
colony is asleep and there are
no passers-by. What else can
we do? Despite the severe heat,
most women also drink little Flood-affected women in Badin
water so that they do not feel the
urge to use the bathroom, says colony. We are thankful to the male villagers have dug two large would be lot of pressure on
Taijee. NGO, which helped us build our trenches behind the tents so that kidneys too. According to the
She lives in a small colony of huts, but perhaps they think we women can use them. But there United Nations Office for the
traditional gypsies, Goth Lakhano gypsies do not use toilets, so they are four pregnant women in the Coordination of Humanitarian
Jogi, which comprises around a did not build one in the colony, village and they find it hard to Affairs, the recent torrential
dozen dilapidated huts and now said Lakhano Jogi, the chieftain get down into the trenches and monsoon rains in southern
surrounded by water, appears as of the tribe. come up again. Sindh have triggered serious
if it is a small island. The dwellers Women of the Goth Allah We usually wait until night. flooding, affecting over five
of this settlement lived in another Bachayo village in Jati taluka But if we are not in a position to million people. Among them
village in Thatta district. But after in Thatta district are also facing wait anymore, we just use the are communities, which are
their village was completely similar problems. Their village roadside and if somebody arrives still recovering from last years
washed away during the floods was completely submerged when there, we just lower our head, extraordinary floods.
of 2010, they moved to their rainwater caused breaches in the says Amina, a resident of the tent An official of the United
current location at Jati Chowk, Karo Gongaro drain and they left village. Healthcare experts say Nations Childrens Fund,
where a nongovernmental their village to start living on the that holding back on urinating Samiullah, told Pakistan Today
organisation (NGO) helped them banks of the Shah Kapoor canal. and defecating for a long time that they are going to build
build their huts. Some international donors with can harm kidneys and eventually 9,000 toilets in the rain- and
But misery followed them the help of local NGOs provided result in renal failure. flood-hit areas, but they would
there and this years rains them with tents, but there is no C o n s u l t a n t be constructed at governments
flooded their new settlement. toilet in the tent village. gastroenterologist of the relief camps only.
The NGO built huts for them, but The surrounding areas are Department of Medicine the at
did not construct a single toilet also submerged and the women Aga Khan University, Prof Dr h t t p : / / w w w. p a k i s t a n t o d a y.
in the colony. So the women of this village too have to wait Hasnain Ali Shah said by doing com.pk/2011/10/for-flood-hit-
and children of the colony until night to use the open space this, a person can suffer from women-answering-call-of-
usually use the bushes near their to answer the call of nature. Some severe constipation and there nature-is-a-question/

27
 3 Rights and inclusion
In July 2010, the United Nations declared water as a fundamental human right, yet millions of people across
the South Asia region are denied this right simply because of who they are. Poverty, marginalisation and social
exclusion are closely linked to access to safe water and sanitation.
In 2010 and 2011, journalists wrote about groups excluded from these services: from women and children in
cyclone-hit areas of Bangladesh to the tea picking regions of Sylhet in the north and rural areas of Sri Lanka;
to the ill-equipped sanitary workers in Lahore, Pakistan.
The following stories also highlight the key role that women and children play in improving services, including
the relationship between access to toilets in schools and girls opportunities for education.

Women walking to fetch water from a nearby pond in the Thar desert in Pakistan. The desert faces acute
water shortage with the only source being rain. Photo: Saleem Sheikh

28
 Transforming lives:
Right to water and sanitation vital
Shanika SRIYANANDA the non-availability of a toilet in her the major cause, other reasons
school made her stop schooling, such as poor sanitation facilities
She goes to work at the tea will the world believe her? at schools are overlooked
estate where her mother plucks This is not fiction but a true but silently contribute to the
tea leaves for a daily wage. story of a Sri Lankan girl, who had dilemma.
Climbing the sloppy hilly estate is firmly decided to maintain her Compared to other countries
no mean task for a teenage girl, dignity. She did not attend school in the South Asian region,
who starts her day before dawn. during her menstruation as she sanitary facilities in Sri Lanka
Savithri, the 17-year-old, is could not use the toilet in school, are of a higher standard. But the
happy as she can support her because it was dysfunctional. situation needs to be improved
mother, who fed five mouths, This was the day Savithri as toilet facilities in many of the Poorest communities
including her paralysed father, really and truly decided that rural schools are outdated or According to WaterAid, an
with her meagre daily earnings. she was never going to school beyond repair. In some schools organisation that initiates
Being one of the brightest again because she was not the newly built toilet is locked programmes to transform lives
students of the small estate going through the trauma of not and only opened during the by improving access to safe
school Troup Estate Tamil being able to use a toilet when school interval. water, hygiene and sanitation in
Vidyalaya with 150 students, she menstruated and face the Access to safe water, adequate the worlds poorest communities,
poverty struck early in her life humiliation of the other boys and sanitation and improved hygiene of the 1,595 billion people in
and she dropped out from school. girls in school. are vital elements for human South Asia, over 1,027 do not
While her two small sisters This was the last straw for development to reduce the use improved sanitation. Over
and brother were crying in the girl who aspired to become a spread of disease and even 716 million people practise open
hunger and her helpless mother, dancing teacher. death at times. South Asia has defecation and are exposed to
who spent half her daily wage on Though it does not directly progressed in many sectors several health risks.
her fathers medicine, was also relate to the issue of school drop- but still a significant number of The latest UN Millennium
silently crying, Savithri decided outs, the lack of sanitary facilities people continues to be denied Development Goals (MDG)
to give up her education and in schools is an added reason the right to water and sanitation report that over 76 percent of
look for a job on the estate. for some girls in rural Sri Lanka to maintain a healthy and South Asias population has no
Apart from poverty, if she says to stop schooling. Poverty being dignified life. access to improved sanitation.
Lal Premanath, General
Manager of the National Water
Supply and Drainage Board
(NWSDB) agreed that there were
issues with regard to sanitation
facilities in schools.
He said there were some
schools in the rural areas which
do not have toilet facilities and
in some schools students were
reluctant to use the toilets as
they were in a dilapidated state.
There are lapses in providing
water and sanitation facilities
to schools by the Government.
It is sad to note that there are
some schools in rural areas
which do not have even a single
toilet and children practise
open defecation. Each school
is given toilet facilities but the
school authorities have failed
to maintain them properly, he
said.
We spoke to several school
principals to assess sanitary
facilities in their schools.
While saying the situation is

29
manageable with available which is situated 15km off The picture is not so rosy when over Rs. 100 million to develop
resources, they emphasised Batticaloa town. With no water sanitary facilities in city, urban, water and sanitation facilities
on obtaining better sanitary connections, well water is filled and rural schools in Sri Lanka are for schools, annually. But the
facilities for children, especially in tubs in each toilet. The primary compared. According to sources Government alone cannot do
primary students. section children share the toilets there are schools where there everything.
Asoka Dissanayake, Principal with the upper class students as is not even a single toilet and There is no doubt that
of D.S. Senanayake Maha there are no toilets in the primary children have to go to nearby providing water and sanitation
Vidyalaya, one of the leading section. jungles to relieve themselves. facilities is a major responsibility
schools in Kandy said some of The small boys do not face A recent study by the of the Education Ministry, which
the toilets needed to be repaired many difficulties but girls have Public Interest Law Foundation has to look into several other
and there was a dire need for to be accompanied by a teacher states that many schools have major issues in schools. The main
toilets for the primary section, or an older student to go to satisfactory sanitation facilities issue of poor sanitary facilities in
which has only one for over 600 the toilet in an emergency. This that include a cleaning system, schools is poor maintenance,
children. disturbs their education, he with a few exceptions to this Director School Health and
He has informed the Provincial had complained about the poor situation. Nutrition of the Ministry of
authorities about the lapses in facilities to the Zonal Director of The survey states that toilets Education, Renuka Peiris said.
sanitary facilities in his annual Education, Kalkuda, he said. in some schools were not usable She said over 80 percent
report. Though the water and due to the lack of water and pits of schools in Sri Lanka, which
The Principal of Royal College, sanitary facilities have been overflowed in the rainy season. consists of over 9,600 schools
Colombo, Upali Gunasekara provided to Talawakelle Tamil Second, there were no toilets have a good coverage of water
said the number of toilets in the Maha Vidyalaya, a section of in some cases. Third, in general and sanitation facilities. The
school was enough and denied the school, where Grade 6 and there were no separate toilets for Ministry has launched a four-
receiving any complaints of poor 9 classes were being held, was female teachers and this was a year project estimated at Rs. 800
sanitary facilities in the school. completely denied of a water problem. Fourth, the construction 900 million in 2010 to provide
I have not received any supply as the system is not of lavatories (i.e. open drains) sanitation facilities to 1,299
complaints about children powerful enough to supply water devoid of water for male students schools.
drinking less water due to lack of to the hilly area. Toilet facilities creates unhygienic conditions, The World Bank, UNICEF and
sanitary facilities, he said. The need to be improved in the emanates a strong odour and Plan Sri Lanka are the other
school authorities promote good school. becomes unusable. Fifth, some financial partners of the project,
health habits among children and There are over 540 students male students in many schools which aimed to solve the sanitary
also encourage them to maintain in the primary section but we urinate in the open. And, finally problems in these schools by the
school resources well. have only six toilets. The smaller female students refrain from end of 2013, she said.
L. Ongaramoorthy, Principal students face difficulties as their using the toilets when they are Peiris said no school building
of Jaffna Central College said toilets are far away from their unclean and not in functioning was approved without toilet
serious concern was given to the section. order. facilities and all schools in Sri
maintenance of toilets and taps We need to build toilets in By staying until they go home Lanka had toilets but due to poor
and also cleanliness. each section as the terrain of the to use the toilet, they suffer a lot maintenance over 1,299 schools
school is hilly, R. Krishnaswamy, of discomfort and stress. Further lack proper sanitary facilities.
Awareness programmes the principal said. He said out this practice can have some The Government spends
We conduct awareness of 28 toilets in the school, impact on the health of students money to develop water and
programmes on water and some need urgent repair and in the long run. In an era where sanitation facilities in schools
sanitation to improve good educational authorities have some elite city dwellers spend but the school authorities are
habits among children, he said been informed. huge sums to install luxurious responsible to maintain them
adding that the sanitary facilities Water supply being a major toilets, poor children in rural with the help of teachers,
were at a satisfactory level. problem, the students in the schools lack even a very basic children and school development
Kanagaratnam Sritharan, upper classes have to fill water toilet. The Government spends societies. The Ministry conducts
Principal of Chenkalady Central in buckets for toilet use and the
College, Kalkuda, said more cleaning of toilets is done by
water and sanitary facilities were teachers as the school does not
required where there is not even have any staffers other than the
a single toilet for the primary security guard.
section which has over 696
children. Estate families
We have only a small well Over 98 percent of students
to supply water. I have requested belong to estate families and
a water tank where over 2,000 nearly 50 percent of them stop
gallons of water can be stored, schooling due to poverty.
he said. Krishnaswamy said though
A majority of students are they lack sanitary facilities, they
from very poor families. The lack educate children about good
of toilet facilities is one major sanitary habits and also how to
problem faced by the school, maintain toilets.

30
awareness programmes for there were enough toilets for critical factor. Recent findings economic benefits, South Asian
schoolchildren under Child students as well as teachers, show that there are strong links countries except Maldives and Sri
friendly WASH (Water, Sanitation but they are poorly maintained between improved sanitation Lanka are off-track in achieving
and Health) concept to inculcate and some are beyond use. This and reduction in child mortality. the sanitation related MDGs.
good habits among children, has resulted in some urinary However, despite strong With notable achievements
she said. problems among schoolchildren commitments of the countries in improving access to clean
Peiris said Sri Lankan schools as they dont drink enough of the SAARC region India, drinking water and better
needed to have a culture where water during school hours as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri sanitation, Sri Lanka will
they give priority to maintaining they are reluctant to use the Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan obviously be the best example
their resources for sustainable toilets which are unclean, said a to provide access to clean water to show the Governments
use. She said the annual survey urologist who wanted to remain and adequate sanitation, over commitment towards keeping the
by the Public Health Inspectors anonymous. 7,000 children still die before promises made at the previous
about school health facilities He said the issue needed they reach their fifth birthday South Asian Conference on
that are submitted to principals the serious attention of the everyday and 2.8 million children Sanitation (SACOSAN) meetings.
would be a guide to adjust authorities as it was still a silent under five die in South Asia. While presenting the success
their priorities of the school to health problem that triggers Globally, 8.8 million children story, Sri Lanka will hopefully
improve water and sanitation serious health repercussions below the age of five years put her energies to address the
facilities in schools. Peiris said in their health in adulthood. died due to illnesses caused remaining grey areas of the water
the simple repair of a tap or a Although diarrhoea is under due to inadequate sanitation and sanitation issue to ensure
toilet at the initial stage would control due to good hygienic and poor quality drinking water. all Sri Lankans are provided
save the system but negligence conditions in Sri Lanka, some The increasing number of cases with clean drinking water and
on the part of school authorities primary schoolchildren in rural indicate that the promises decent sanitary facilities in its
cost huge amounts of money to schools suffer due to diarrhoea made to provide clean water goal of becoming the Wonder of
correct the damage. as a result of poor toilet facilities and improved sanitation is just Asia. The new resolutions made
While authorities are happy in schools. gathering dust without turning at the forthcoming SACOSAN
and proud with the progress made Compared to the situation decisions into actions. This is meeting that planned to be held
by the Government to provide in the South Asian region, this more evident with every second in Colombo from April 4 to 7 will
taps and toilets to schools and is insignificant. But I see a slow person defecating in the open encourage SARRC government to
with good health indicators that increase in diseases spreading and every eight-person drinking utilise more funds and attention
made Sri Lanka top the South due to poor sanitation, especially contaminated water. to develop the neglected areas
Asian region, inquiries carried out due to cleanliness among rural According to the World Health in Water and sanitation. They
by the Sunday Observer found schoolchildren, he said. Organisation (WHO), for every would ultimately contribute to
that many children in schools, US dollar invested to improve teenagers such as Savithri to
including some leading schools Infant mortality water and sanitation, countries continue schooling with dignity
in Colombo, were reluctant to According to WaterAid, in Sri can earn economic returns worth when all the schools in the
drink them required amount of Lanka, where infant mortality nine US $ by reducing illnesses country get toilets, in future.
water due to poor sanitation fell from 141/1000 in the 1940s and death caused due to poor
facilities and the cleanliness of to 13/1000 at the beginning of sanitation and poor quality http://www.sundayobserver.
toilets in schools. this century, Local Government drinking water. lk/2011/03/27/fea01.asp
The school authorities say action on sanitation was a The WHO said despite these

31
 Make women champions of water
and sanitation
By Alka Pande, Lucknow, Aug 26: international audience comprising making within the communities to help
Seminar at Stockholm Water Week water and sanitation experts at a address these needs.
stresses womens role in improving seminar Do Right-based policies During the seminar, a panel
water, sanitation and hygiene in enhance womens leadership and discussion was held, in which
developing countries. contribute to sustainable WASH experiences were shared by the
outcome: Taking stock and moving partner organisations in Africa,
Morning starts as early as 4.30 for forward. Asia and Europe. The discussion
Beena a 35 year old woman from a The seminar, held to mark the emphasised on four key issues: best
remote Indian village. The first 2-3 of Stockholm Water Week, today, was practices around equity and inclusion,
hours of the day are used to collect jointly organised by Department womens leadership in sustainable
water for cooking, cattle and for For International Development, WASH programming and policy
specific needs of family members. Yet, Government of UK (DFID), Freshwater development, right-based standards
she is hardly able to take bath once Action Network (FAN), US Department in WASH management and citizen
a week. The water I collect is not of state, WASH (Water Sanitation service engagement.
sufficient for all the other requirements, Hygiene) Advocacy Initiative and Today the challenges in the water
how can I waste in my bathing. I ask WaterLex. sector are due to the growing lack of
my children also to bathe on alternate The event stressed on the added accountability of all stakeholders,
days, Beena rues rubbing her face values of right-based policies in order said Helene Boussard, the Research
with her sari, which she is wearing for to enhance womens leadership and Coordinator on Water Governance for
last many days. their contribution in sustainable WASH WaterLex.
This is the condition of more or less outcome. Addressing the critical role of
all the women inhabiting in the rural Prompting the achievements of womens leadership in sustainable
areas of India. Traditionally, in most of CRSD in capacitating the communities, WASH programming, Kate Harawa,
the cultures all across the globe the especially women, Coelho said, the Country Director for Water For
responsibility of collecting water falls on A twin strategy of organising People, Malawi, stated, When
the shoulders of women and children, the people around their rights as women are supported and trusted
especially girls. It is not water alone well as undertaking development to take on management positions in
but they also face the brunt of lack of interventions, is required so that water service delivery, they do it with
sanitation facilities. Cases of violence, communities can access and sustain passion and expertise. The reason for
injuries, diseases and school drop outs water and sanitation services. this is that women arguably have the
are rampant at places which do not CRSD stresses on right-based greatest stake in the health of their
have improved sanitation. approach and highlighting the same, families and communities. Therefore,
The Government of India though Coelho said the right-based approach expanding the efforts in this direction
perceives right to water in its deepens peoples knowledge and can ensure the success of the future
constitution under right to life, people increases their participation in the programmes.
like Beena are neither aware of their development process. There has Concluding the seminar, Sanjay
rights nor they put forward their been a significant improvement in Wijesekera, the Team Leader, Water,
demands. service delivery in the WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene, DFID,
The time for change has come. Sanitation Hygiene) sector because called on all participants to move
The warning bells are heard across the of the demand raised by informed evidence into practice. He said,
globe. The poor and the marginalised and empowered communities, who Rights-based approaches have
people cannot wait any longer for the exercised their rights to water and been successfully deployed to drive
realisation of their basic rights, says sanitation, she averred. Coelho also change and accelerate progress
Hilda Coelho, the President of Centre exhorted all the stakeholders to adopt on the WASH related Millennium
for Rural Studies and Development the strategy in a mission mode. Development Goal targets. However
(CRSD) in India. Earlier, opening the session to use such approaches effectively
CRSD is a grass root organisation, Christian Holmes, the USAID Global we need to ensure that the legal and
which is working in Andhra Pradesh Water Coordinator, reinforced the policy frameworks are harmonised
with the communities to ensure that critical role women play in securing with human rights commitments.
the communities are equipped with access to WASH services. He said, Besides, these experiences should be
the tool of enough knowledge to claim It is time to support and enhance the document systematically so that we
their rights to water and sanitation. capacity of woman to develop and can learn from them to bolster in future
Coelho spoke in favour of lead the implementation of water and as to how these approaches deliver
empowering the communities with sanitation solutions. Women have the results on the ground.
knowledge whilst addressing an right to participate equally in decision

32
Water and Sanitation in India At a one hours walk and also if there
a Glance: is a toilet in the school.
It is estimated that around 37.7 Investing in water and sanitation
million Indians are affected by is also a smart economic choice.
waterborne diseases annually and Every USD 1 spent on water and
1.5 million children are reported sanitation generates the equivalent
die of diarrhoea alone. The reports of USD 8 in saved time, increased
of WaterAid mentions that 73 productivity and reduced health
million working days are lost due care costs.
to waterborne disease each year. CRSD (Centre for Rural Studies
Therefore the economic burden of and Development) is a grass root
poor water and sanitation facilities organisation, which is working
is estimated at USD 600 million a in Andhra Pradesh with the
year. India also faces the problems communities to ensure that the
of chemical contamination as communities are equipped with the
nearly 200,000 habitations are tool of enough knowledge to claim
affected by poor water quality their rights to water and sanitation.
Access to clean drinking water FANSA (Freshwater Action
and basic sanitation facilities could Network South Asia) is a network
transform the lives of millions in of organisations working on water
the worlds poorest countries, and sanitation. It aims to strengthen
including India. Universal access to the engagement of Civil Society
water and sanitation could prevent Organisations in policy making and
thousands of child deaths and give development initiatives in order to
more working days to women and achieve international targets on
children to go to work or school. water and sanitation. (IBNS)
Various studies have proved that
girls are 12 per cent more likely to h t t p : / / w w w. n e w k e r a l a . c o m /
go to school if water is available news/2011/worldnews-55569.html
within a 15 minute walk rather than

33
In this mass exodus from Dadu, families flee not from
conflict but in search of water
By Hafeez Tunio
Published: May 9, 2011
DADU: Worried families of the feet, but it is not drinkable. The water onions, tomatoes and chillies used
Kachho region, the area next to the is so saline that even our animals cannot to grow here. Now all you can see is
Kirthar Mountains, trudge along in drink it, says Hassan Lund, a resident just barren, brown land. The total
the scorching heat. It is 47 degrees of Ahmed Ali Lund. cultivation area of Dadu district is
Celsius. Their two charpoys, rilli Some NGOs tested the water and around 1.93 million acres. The barrages
(Sindhi patchwork quilt), pots and strictly told us not to drink it, but and rainwater are major sources for
pans are tightly fastened around we have no choice but to use it, says irrigation, but due to a shortage of
camels. Sheep and goats follow. Kareem Bux. both sources, there is a drought-like
This is second time in a year that situation, explains Muzzafar Panhwar,
People in the villages of Kachho, south people of the area are migrating. First, the regional manager of the Research
of Dadu, are leaving their homes, not they moved after the devastating flood last and Development Foundation (RDF).
because of conflict or injustice, but year, and now, the drought-like condition The organisation works on drought and
because they do not have water. is forcing them out of the village. rehabilitation in the area.
These villages get water from the Cracks snake across the ground, Quoting figures from the revenue
Fakha shaakh, which is a tributary of dryness everywhere. Not a single crop or department, Panhwar said that around
the Johi Canal that branches out of the any form of cultivation could be seen for 1.6 million acres of land was to be
Dadu Canal. miles. Camels and birds have also been cultivated this year.
Kareem Bux of Mohammad Murad found dead in the villages. But only 0.2 million acres have been
village recalls his teenage years. We Since 1992, the people here have not irrigated. Rain has been sparse during
used to cultivate every possible crop received barrage water to irrigate land the last few years. Panhwar said the
here and sell the vegetables to Dadu either. More than 70 per cent of the contaminated underground water has
and Naushehro Feroz. But we have not population has moved to Sanghar and also made the conditions extremely dry.
received a single drop in the Johi Canal Khairpur Mirs, said Lund. I have lost People of an adjoining village in Johi
for many years. The canal is full of mud. two buffalos because of the water crisis. tehsil have been suffering from water-
Ironically, the village has an abundant Now I have to move to another place, borne diseases. Many people lost their
supply of underground water that can for survivals sake. lives. These incidents are not reported
be drawn from a depth of 400 to 500 Paddy, cotton, sugarcane, wheat, because the villages are in remote areas,
he says glumly.

Empty promises
Our ministers only come to us for votes.
When we take our problems to them,
they do not have time for us, Kareem
Bux complains. Before the election,
all the MPAs had promised to provide
drinking and barrage water.
For the last one year, villagers have
been trying to approach their MPA,
Murad Ali Shah, who is also the finance
minister. But they have not succeeded.
It has been difficult for us to even talk
to the ministers secretary.
Our children are deprived of water
and education. We have now decided
not to vote for them, he says. The
education minister [also] belongs to our
district [Dadu].

http://tribune.com.pk/story/164556/
i n - t h i s - m a s s - e x o d u s - f ro m - d a d u -
The land in Ahmed Ali Lund village, Johi tehsil, is completely dry as the people families-flee-not-from-conflict-but-in-
have not received barrage water since 1992. (Right) Residents have to walk over one search-of-water/
kilometre every day to fetch water. Photo: Nefer Sehgal/Express

34
 Tea garden workers lack sanitation
facilities
Mustafizur Rahman. Sylhet other tea plantations. sanitary toilets.
Sylhet Public Health Engineering Lackatoorah Tea Estate manager
Laxmi Rani Das, a physically challenged Department executive engineer Imdad Hossain said the workers were
girl, has to walk almost a kilometre to Mohammad Hanif said neither the not accustomed to using latrines.
find a secluded spot surrounded by government nor the non-governmental We are trying to motivate them not
bushes on a hilltop to respond to the organisations had come up with to defecate in the open. We, too, feel
call of nature. She usually takes her sufficient measures to ensure sanitation bad about it. He said the plantation
mothers help in going out as she was facilities for teagarden workers, one of authorities had a plan to bring the
born with only one leg. the countrys underprivileged groups. workers under proper sanitation
We do not have any toilet. Most In his opinion, the governments coverage.
people here cannot afford sanitation target to provide sanitation facilities Sabita Karmi, a teacher at an NGO-
facilities due to lack of money, said to all teagarden workers by 2013 run primary school at Lackatoorah
Laxmi Rani, who lives in the state- would not be achieved if large-scale which runs for four hours in the
owned Daldali Teagarden in Sylhet. programmes are not taken in the areas. morning, said the one-class school
She said she had trained herself Hanif, however, said the authorities having 27 students had no water-
not to respond to the call of nature provided around 250 sanitary toilet supply or any toilet facilities. Women,
at night. Unlike many of the 3,000 rings every year to each union of the girls, and the old suffer a lot due to
people living in Daldali Teagarden, country free of cost, which had not the lack of toilets in the plantation,
Laxmi Rani, a student of Class VIII, is even been utilised properly for setting she said. Dinesh, 40, a teagarden
aware of the importance of sanitation up sanitary latrines. worker, however, said he had just built
because she goes to a school outside Raju Guala, a community leader a sanitary latrine for his family with the
the plantation. Her mother Aroti Das, of Lackatoorah Tea Estate, another support of an NGO.
50, once a teagarden worker, left the government-owned plantation, Sylhet City Corporation mayor
job to take care of Laxmi and her two said most people did not like to use Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran said he
sisters while her two brothers support sanitary latrines as they felt more could not use any city corporation
the six-member family by working in comfortable to defecate in the open. funds for constructing latrines for
the plantation. Her father died eight Some residents in the plantation even teagarden workers as the estates were
years ago. think, if they construct sanitary toilets, outside his jurisdiction.
The authorities of the state-owned these will spread foul odour, he added. Sylhet Sadar upazila chairman
teagarden provide quarters to the Raju said, at most, 10 per cent of the Ashfaque Ahmed said the funds
workers but, in most cases, without residents of Lackatoorah Tea Estate, a allocated for each of the unions under
any toilet facility. As a result, the home to around 1,000 families, had the upazila was so inadequate that
workers have to use the plantation and access to toilet facilities. they could not improve the sanitation
bushes on hillocks for the purpose of Habit is a big factor, observed facilities for the underprivileged
defecation and urination. Rajus mother Behula, 60. All the community in the teagardens. There
Many generations of the same workers here are used to defecate in are around 6,000 registered workers in
families have live in the same houses the garden or by the stream flowing 19 teagardens, including the private-
in the tea estate. A worker here gets from the hills, she said. sector ones, in Sylhet district, officials
around Tk 48 a day and a weekly ration A number of teagarden workers told said.
of three kilograms of wheat. There New Age that with the meagre wages
are more than 400 workers in Daldali they earned they could hardly make http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/
Teagarden. The situation is similar in both the ends meet, let alone set up frontpage/8603.html

35
 Call for water rights
2011-03-26
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Concerned bodies millions of people walk an average of six on water and sanitation crisis, 10,500
today drew the government attention kilometres every day to fetch water to children below five die annually in the
towards tackling water and sanitation meet their basic needs. country from the related illnesses, said
crisis facing the country. Billions have no access to toilets. Tiwari.
WaterAid in Nepal, in coordination It keeps the people in a vicious circle According to WaterAid in Nepal,
with Standard Chartered Bank Nepal of disease and poverty, according to 14 million people have no access to
Ltd, Rotary International District, Nepal, WaterAid in Nepal. WaterAid in Nepal sanitation and 7.1 million are deprived
and other civil society organisations Country Representative Ashutosh of safe drinking water. More than 50 per
today held Walk for Water programme Tiwari asked the government to take a cent are without sanitation and almost
in the Capital demanding that the concrete action and political leadership two thirds of are deprived of safe drinking.
government provide safe drinking water to meet the Millennium Development
and make easy sanitation access to all. Goals-2015 and national goal to (http://site.thehimalayantimes.com/
At the programme, participants walked provide water and sanitation to all by fullTodays.php?headline=Call+for+wate
six kilometres as a symbolic message that 2017. While Nepal is waiting for action r+rights&NewsID=281484

At school for deaf and blind, students with

special needs struggle for a basic one, water
By Hafeez Tunio
Published: October 28, 2011

KARACHI: Every morning, The schools principal, Qudsia

blind and deaf students cry at Khan, told The Express Tribune
me, demanding water for their that the problem has persisted
showers which now seem to for the last two years and they
be increasingly infrequent have been relying on water
now at our school, said tankers since then. Now, even
Haleema, a domestic staffer the KPT and other people have
at the Ida Rieu School for stopped sending them tankers
the Blind and Deaf. Screams which means the amount of
come out from their hostel water is barely enough for the
rooms and they knock on the kitchens.
doors while getting ready for She explained that when the
their classes. problem arose, they wrote to
water hydrants run by different
For two years now, the school, people and used to get two water
located near the Mazaar-e- tankers a week from hydrants
Quaid, has been functioning near Guru Mandir. But since the
depleted supplies of water. Inside Infaq House, the boys hostel, where the water shortage means that hydrants were taken away from
Named after Lady Ida Augusta a stench has developed in the toilets, according to one student. Photo: Ida the Rangers, the supply has
Rieu, who devoted her life to Rieu stopped.
social welfare, chiefly among the The area falls in Jamshed
poor, the school is financed by as the Linux Operating System. fault developed in the institutes Town and we have written to
donors and philanthropists. It is There are about 1,000 students water mainline. The students the town administration and
affiliated with Karachi University enrolled at the school and of complain that, despite multiple other officials but to no avail,
and offers pre-primary to graduate them, 80 girls and boys live in the complaints, town officials are she said. Once it appeared
level education. In addition to the schools hostels. not bothering to address their that the administrator was not
usual subjects, the school for the Despite all the institutions problem. The students have going to step up, the school
hearing and visually impaired also good work, the students living at appealed to the chief minister installed a waterline that cost
teaches its deaf students how to the school have been dealing with and governor as well as other them Rs40,000. Once the line
use computer technology known a shortage of water ever since a government officials. was completed, however, it was

36
pulled up the next day by unidentified people. Besides, there is severe stench in the toilets before prayers. I have become tired checking
Jamshed Town Administrator Aqeel due to the scarcity of water that prevents the water taps, he said. But whenever it
Tanzeem Naqvi admitted that the water people from entering them, he added. comes, the quality seems very poor because
supply was stopped because of a major fault The shortage means that even when it it is being transported here through tankers.
in the lines. He however claimed that the line comes to drinking water, the students have Sajida Parveen, a 50-year-old domestic
has been restored and the water supply to to wait. We have to wait for hours to get worker, has been at the school for 10 years.
schools has been released. There has been sweet water for drinking, said Rubab, 23, She is struggling to pacify the disgruntled
a water shortage in all of Karachi, he told a blind girl who recently completed her students. They dont know I cant get the
The Express Tribune. We provide them with Masters from the school and lives in the water for them, but it is difficult to convince
water as per their share, however, sometimes Sarah Mujahid Girls Hostel. We are told to them.
load-shedding creates problems. Sohail wait for the water tanker to come and then
Asim, an 18-year-old blind first-year student, we will get potable water. http://tribune.com.pk/story/283695/faulty-
lives in the Infaq House Boys Hostel. He claims When the long-awaited tankers arrive, mainline-at-school-for-deaf-and-blind-
that getting ready for class in the morning their waters murkiness leads Hanif Ahmed, students-with-special-needs-struggle-for-a-
becomes very difficult when the taps are dry. 17, to worry if he can use it for ablution basic-one-water/

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=%27Toilets
+key+in+girls%27+education%27&NewsID=323340

37
 Badin coastline dwellers cry out for
potable water
By: Ramzam Chandio | June 28, 2010 |

KARACHI We dont want any coastal villages have no other option situated in coastal area, he said,
development schemes rather the but to drink brackish water. regretting that their appeal didnt get
government should provide us only The water borne-diseases like any attention.
drinking water at our villages. The gastro and diarrhoea are common The fertile lands of District Badin
water wells, which is the only source among the children due to use of salty which used to produce bumper crops
of drinking water in all the villages in water, said Suleman Shaikh, who owns are now turned into saline lands due
District Badin have turned brackish sufficient area of land, but it has been to sea intrusion, especially of LBOD
due to steady intrusion of sea water, turned into saline owing to the sea (Left Bank Outfall Drain). Though, the
said locals residing in coastal villages, intrusion. There were no health and LBOD was constructed to dispose-
around 50 km far from Badin city. education facilities in coastal area, but off industrial waster of cities of lower
This scribe visited a number of villages lack of drinking water was our primary parts of province and drainage water
in coastal area of Badin and observed concerns, and we want nothing from into sea. In contrast of disposing off
miseries facing the rural population, the government, except drinking water draining water into sea, the LBOD
living in abject poverty and lack of facility, he said. project has increased the miseries of
basis facility of drinking water. The women of villages walk in the locals through bringing sea water
According to locals, the Shaikh groups for 4 to 5 km to fetch drinking back due to its wrong design.
Gharhi, Shaikh Kario, Haji Mallah, water from far areas as male members However, the sub office of Pakistan
Chanesar Mallah, Majeed Mallah, of family go into the sea for fishing, Council of Research in water resources
Weedho Mandhro, Moryo Mandhro, Suleman said. Though, the coastal area of Ministry of Science and Technology
Gaji Mallah, Bakhshan Mallah and of Badin comes in the constituency has conducted Physico-Chemical
other villages in the same number in of the Speaker National Assembly analysis of water samples, being used
coastal area are deprived of drinking Fahmida Mirza and her husband Dr by the people of coastal area, declaring
water facility. Zulfiqar Mirza, who is also Home it unfit for human consumption. The
Each village comprising 100 to 300 Minster of province, but according to Sindh government has allocated Rs3.5
houses, where people dig wells to villagers, they have not seen priority billion for drinking water and sanitation
fetch sweet water as no such provision at government level to provide them schemes in annual budget for FY2010-
of fresh water facility provided them drinking water facility. 11, but huge population of hundreds
by the Sindh government. Most of the During his visit of relief camps of thousands in coastal villages of
water wells in coastal area have either set up for coastal people who were District Badin are not on priority list of
dried up or their water level has dropped evacuated in fear of cyclone Phet, the governments budget.
down to 300 to 750 feet, making the the people from different villages
water brackish and rendering it unfit approached Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-
for human consumption, said Banho Mirza, appealing him for grant of n e w s - n e w s p a p e r- d a i l y - e n g l i s h -
Mallah, who goes into sea for fishing water supply schemes and to ensure online/national/28-Jun-2010/
every day. The underground water is flow of fresh water in small canal, Badin-coastline-dwellers-cry-out-for-
brackish due to steady intrusion of sea Mirwah which used to suitable source potable-water
water, he said, adding that people of of drinking water for all the villages

38
 People who keep the city clean
Sanitary workers are most unprotected both health-wise and otherwise
By Aoun Sahi
Since 15 years, no promotion based on seniority, no provided with health cover. No reliable
Pervez Masih, 38 gazetted holidays, not even May Day data is available with any government
year old father of holiday and no housing facility for department regarding types of risks
six and a resident sanitary workers. In case of death the and diseases affecting sanitary workers,
of Youhannabad, family gets Rs120,000 as death claim sewer men and their families. None
has been starting which was just Rs 20,000 till 2009. The of the respondents replied positive to
his day at 4 in the sanitary workers get Rs100 as medical vaccination against deadly diseases. They
morning. Like allowance along with salaries. were never vaccinated against tetanus
all sanitary workers in city, I have to be Different estimations put the and hepatitis, reads the report.
at my workplace by 5 in the morning population of Lahore at somewhere Alam says that the tools provided
because residents of the city want to see around 10 million. The average to the sweepers are of poor design and
their streets clean before they get up. First household size of the city is 7.12 while quality. The sweepers use short brooms
he sweeps the main road assigned to him Lahore currently produces more than for sweeping and wheel barrows for
then small roads and then streets. Like all 4,500 tonnes of waste daily. According collecting the sweepings. They create
other sanitary workers, he lifts heaps of to international standards one sanitary small or large heaps on the side of streets
garbage and hazardous solid waste from worker is required for a population of which are then collected by tractor
the metropolis with bare hands as he does 500, it means there should be at least trolleys or small trucks. In some areas of
not have any gloves, mask or gum boots. 20, 000 sanitary workers for the fast the city mechanical sweepers are under
It is a very tough routine. Many of us growing city of Lahore. While there are use to clean main roads of the city but
catch dangerous diseases like hepatitis, only 7,000 sanitary workers in the city at around 90 percent of the sweeping is
asthma and TB but majority of the present. The overwhelming majority of done manually. The waste is also picked
people still look down upon us as dirty sanitary workers though are Christians up from the ground manually with the
people, he says. Their actual duty hours but at present there are more than 1500 help of rakes and baskets in most part of
are eight but they have to spend 10-12 Muslims working as sanitary workers. the city, he says.
hours at workplace. We have to mark They are basically political recruits Government officials are well aware of
attendance thrice a day; first in office at therefore workers have many complaints. the situation. It is true that government
5 am, then at union council nazim office There are about 1500 regular and 400 does not provide any safety equipment
at 10am and then again at the assigned work charge sewer men in Lahore for 150 to sanitary workers and they also come
work place. union councils, that gives 12 workers to to duty on odd hours. They have been
Masih is one out of about 7,000 each union council. Around 100 Muslims facing serious health issues as well and
sanitary workers, including 3,000 work are also working as sewer men. In 1988, we have been unable so far to vaccinate
charge employees employed with Solid a sewer man died of poisonous gas while them or provide them health insurance
Waste Management (SWM) Lahore. performing his job and so far more than but we are trying to do it this year, says
Out of them 1500 are women who had 70 workers have been killed by deadly Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, managing
to face more problems than their male sewer gases. No action has ever been director SWM.
counterparts. Women workers also have taken against any official despite clear cut Interestingly, government of Pakistan
to work in two shifts, which disturb their instructions that no sewer man should made commitment during 2008 South
household life. Their day starts as early as descend into the sewer without taking Asia Sanitation Conference (SACOSAN)
4 in the morning. The situation for work appropriate safety measures, says Younis held in Delhi to take specific actions
charge staff is even harder. They have Alam, Executive Director Minority to improve the working conditions of
to work on daily wages, with 90 days Rights Commission. His organisation sanitary workers but has not taken even
contract without weekly off or sick leave. has been working on the issues of sanitary a single step or evolved any strategy to
TNS talked to scores of sanitary workers since long and in 2008 it issued improve the conditions of the sanitary
workers and found that their major a report Working conditions of sanitary workers. Federal government never
issues include no specified duty hours, workers and sewer men in Lahore. directed us or helped financially to work
no provision of safety equipment or The report found that around on the betterment of these workers,
on-job training. In 2010 city district 90 percent of the sanitary workers says Chaudhry.
government of Lahore conducted interviewed were suffering from TB,
tests of 2,000 sanitary workers and Asthma or other respiratory system http://jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2011-
found that more than 15 percent were related diseases. In spite of the fact that weekly/nos-03-04-2011/she.htm#4
Hepatitis B and C positive. There is no sanitary workers perform their duties in
medical cover to even regular employees, quite unhygienic condition they are not

39
First meeting
in Kathmandu,
February 2011

Field visit in Nepal, 2011

First meeting
in Kathmandu,
February 2011

Field visit in Nepal, 2011

40
WASH Media South Asia
Regional Director talking during
the second forum meeting on
March 4 2012 at Dhaka

Dhaka meeting group

Meeting with a community

group in Korail slum, Dhaka,
Bangladesh
41
 South Asians call for equitable sanitation
programmes
DAWN.COM Saleem Shaikh 4th April, 2011

COLOMBO: Civil society members Communications Manger.

at an international consultative Around 140 representatives from civil
meeting, just ahead of the fourth society groups from the South Asian
South Asian Conference, on countries that included Bangladesh,
Sanitation (SACOSAN), in Sri India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives,
Lanka, called upon their respective Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan,
governments to hammer out viably and from international organisations
equitable and inclusive sanitation Participants of the pre-meeting SACOSAN IV working in the region, gathered in
and hygiene programmes. lined up outside makeshift toilet as symbol Colombo to exchange experiences
They strongly urged for a time- to highlight sanitation crisis in South Asia. and draft peoples demands from the
bound action plan for delivering the Photo by Saleem Shaikh governments of South Asian Countries
previous SACOSAN commitments for the betterment of the sanitation
made in Dhaka, Islamabad and Delhi. reportedly died due to the diarrhoea crisis.
The four-day fourth SACOSAN, to since last SACOSAN and that is an The Delhi Declaration 2008 set out
be held from Monday in Colombo is alarming figure, he said. clear commitments and milestones for
expected to focus on safe sanitation He said that although the South tackling the crisis. It also recognised
and hygiene issues. The ministerial Asian countries have rectified the that access to safe sanitation and
level meeting will conclude on April 7. United Nations declaration that states drinking water is a basic right and
Talking during a post consultative sanitation as a basic human right, all in particular that national priority
meeting press conference, Freshwater these countries have so far not made to sanitation is imperative. This
Action Network South Asia (FANSA) it as party of country constitution. He reaffirmed the commitment to
convener Ramisetti Murali said despite said that sanitation is also related to achieving millennium development
commitments during last SACOSAN, health and the worst sanitation causes goals on sanitation by 2015.
the South Asian countries have not an increase in the cost of health Non-government organisations
made progress in providing basic budget. Freshwater Action Network, South
sanitation, due to which millions of the Poor sanitation now stands as a Asia, Water Supply and Sanitation
people in these countries are suffering. major obstacle in the fight to reduce Collaborative Council and WaterAid
I visited Hyderabad Dakhan last child mortality in Bangladesh, India, jointly organised the two-day
year where 12 people reportedly died Nepal and Pakistan, he said. consultation meeting that began
of contaminated water due to the Governments of South Asian Friday.
absence of basic sanitation system countries must be held accountable
in the area, but it is not the only to the commitments they made http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/04/
example, official data reveals that at the SACOSAN, said Ceridwen south-asians-call-for-equitable-
around 750,000 children have so far Johnson, FAN Global Network and sanitation-programmes.html

42
 Women, children suffer most as diseases spread
in Aila-hit areas
Mustafizur Rahman. Khulna uterus, said Nila Bati Sana, who
works as a community mobiliser
The victims of cyclone Aila, for a local non-government
particularly women and children organisation. They do not have
living in the worst affected proper sanitation facilities. The
coastal belts of the southern principal of Jobeda Khanam Mohila
districts of Khulna and Satkhira, College, SM Aminur Rahman,
are suffering from various said that about 50 per cent of the
diseases due to the lack of safe students remain absent, which he
water and sanitation facilities. partly attributed to the ill-health
The situation has worsened suffered by the children in Koyra.
with the advent of winter as cold- When his attention was
related and water-borne diseases, from dysentery, said Aiman, 70, women patients at the hospital. drawn to the Aila victims
like scabies and dysentery, have of Madinabad. Koyra, a remote upazila difficult situation, food and
spread fast. Many of the affected She said no one had come to isolated by rivers, is at least 100 disaster management minister
people say that they are not them with medicines and that kilometres away from Khulna Muhammad Abdur Razzaque,
receiving any community-based the upazila health complex was city. Emdadul said that the use who is also responsible for overall
medical facilities from either the far away from the village. of saline water was not directly coordination of the rehabilitation
government or non-government Anjuara, 30, a housewife responsible for infection of the work in the affected areas, said
organisations. Hundreds of in the same area, has been uterus. As long as saline water that the authorities could not
victims from the upazilas of suffering from dysentery for is not contaminated, it is not take rehabilitation measures as
Koyra and Dacope in Khulna over a month. She told New Age unsafe for washing. But it is true the repair of the embankments
and Shyamnagar in Satkhira, that her husband very often gets that these women lack hygiene has not been completed in time.
which were devastated by Aila in infected with diarrhoeal diseases, and sanitation facilities, he said. He, however, said that the
2009, continue to live in roadside and that her 11-year-old girl child Women with gender-based rehabilitation would begin as
shacks. Suraiya was suffering from skin diseases feel too shy to come soon as repair was completed,
At least seven families here disease. Shahar Ali Sardar, 69, to the health complex as there which he hoped would be by
have to share a single latrine of Koyra sadar said he had been are no women doctors here. January.
Many women are suffering from suffering from dysentery for the Still, around 15 per cent of the Md Abul Bashar, the upazila
infection of the uterus, but they last six months. women patients who come to us nirbahi officer of Koyra, said
are too shy to tell anyone. We Koyra upazilas health officer complain of female complications that the local administration had
neither have any MBBS doctor nor Emdadul Haque said that the which include uterus infection, already sent teams to find out the
any woman physician at Koyra situation was not as alarming as Emdadul added. areas where people were being
sadar whom we can consult, the people say. A number of women and infected with diseases during
said Anwara Nasrin, 40. She said We are aware that women girls in the area said that they the winter. Shyamnagar upazilas
that people in some affected and children are exposed to feel too shy to use latrines as health officer Nazrul Islam said
areas have to travel a long way various diseases, particularly all of them are on the roads and that there is a community clinic
to collect drinking water from scabies and dysentery, with the embankments where people are in the isolated union of Gabura
tube-wells, and they depend advent of winter. We will send always moving around. Around where many people at present
on saline water for bathing and medical teams to the affected 50 to 60 people are using one are suffering from diarrhoeal
washing their household utensils. areas so that the diseases do not latrine. We have to wait in the diseases. The situation is under
Anwara, a midwife who is become an epidemic, he told queue to get a chance to use control.
also involved in social welfare New Age. the latrine in the morning He, however, said there was
activities in the village of He said that the local Excrement from the latrines is no doctor at the clinic and four
Madinabad, said that it is mostly administration was telling the contaminating water around the health assistants were running it.
women and children who are affected people not to use embankments where we bathe, According to official records,
exposed to water-borne diseases contaminated water. wash cloths and cook food, around 1.5 lakh people belonging
as the men spend most of their The lone 31-bed upazila said Hasina, 45, who lives in a to 48,000 families were worst
time working either in the health complex of Koyra makeshift shed in Koyra sadar. affected in Dacope, Koira,
Sundarbans or in other remote is supposed to deal with a Many of the children and Ashashuni and Shyamnagar when
areas to earn much-needed population of over three lakh elderly persons are also suffering Aila ravaged the south-western
money. and is located at Jaigirmahal, from pneumonia due to the coastal areas on 25 May, 2009.
I itch all over, I cannot 15 kilometres away from the biting cold on the roads and
sleep at nightMy stomach upazila headquarters. There is embankments. http://newagebd.com/
frequently gets upset. For the last neither any gynaecologist nor I have found many women newspaper1/frontpage/3441.
few days I have been suffering any woman physician to treat suffering from infection of the html

43
 Tea garden workers lack sanitation facilities
Mustafizur Rahman. Sylhet The situation is similar in other tea earned they could hardly make both the
plantations. ends meet, let alone set up sanitary toilets.
Laxmi Rani Das, a physically challenged Sylhet Public Health Engineering Lackatoorah Tea Estate manager
girl, has to walk almost a kilometre to Department executive engineer Imdad Hossain said the workers were
find a secluded spot surrounded by Mohammad Hanif said neither the not accustomed to using latrines. We are
bushes on a hilltop to respond to the call government nor the non-governmental trying to motivate them not to defecate
of nature. organisations had come up with in the open. We, too, feel bad about it.
She usually takes her mothers help in sufficient measures to ensure sanitation He said the plantation authorities had a
going out as she was born with only one facilities for teagarden workers, one of plan to bring the workers under proper
leg. the countrys underprivileged groups. sanitation coverage. Sabita Karmi, a
We do not have any toilet. Most In his opinion, the governments teacher at an NGO-run primary school
people here cannot afford sanitation target to provide sanitation facilities to at Lackatoorah which runs for four
facilities due to lack of money, said all teagarden workers by 2013 would not hours in the morning, said the one-class
Laxmi Rani, who lives in the state- be achieved if large-scale programmes school having 27 students had no water-
owned Daldali Teagarden in Sylhet. are not taken in the areas. supply or any toilet facilities.
She said she had trained herself not Hanif, however, said the authorities Women, girls, and the old suffer
to respond to the call of nature at night. provided around 250 sanitary toilet rings a lot due to the lack of toilets in the
Unlike many of the 3,000 people living every year to each union of the country plantation, she said.
in Daldali Teagarden, Laxmi Rani, a free of cost, which had not even been Dinesh, 40, a teagarden worker,
student of Class VIII, is aware of the utilised properly for setting up sanitary however, said he had just built a sanitary
importance of sanitation because she latrines. latrine for his family with the support of
goes to a school outside the plantation. Raju Guala, a community leader an NGO. Sylhet City Corporation mayor
Her mother Aroti Das, 50, once a of Lackatoorah Tea Estate, another Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran said he
teagarden worker, left the job to take care government-owned plantation, said could not use any city corporation funds
of Laxmi and her two sisters while her most people did not like to use sanitary for constructing latrines for teagarden
two brothers support the six-member latrines as they felt more comfortable workers as the estates were outside his
family by working in the plantation. Her to defecate in the open. Some residents jurisdiction.
father died eight years ago. in the plantation even think, if they Sylhet Sadar upazila chairman
The authorities of the state-owned construct sanitary toilets, these will Ashfaque Ahmed said the funds allocated
teagarden provide quarters to the spread foul odour, he added. for each of the unions under the upazila
workers but, in most cases, without any Raju said, at most, 10 per cent of was so inadequate that they could not
toilet facility. As a result, the workers the residents of Lackatoorah Tea Estate, improve the sanitation facilities for
have to use the plantation and bushes a home to around 1,000 families, had the underprivileged community in the
on hillocks for the purpose of defecation access to toilet facilities. teagardens.
and urination. Habit is a big factor, observed Rajus There are around 6,000 registered
Many generations of the same mother Behula, 60. All the workers here workers in 19 teagardens, including the
families have live in the same houses in are used to defecate in the garden or by private-sector ones, in Sylhet district,
the tea estate. A worker here gets around the stream flowing from the hills, she officials said.
Tk 48 a day and a weekly ration of three said.
kilograms of wheat. There are more A number of teagarden workers told http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/
than 400 workers in Daldali Teagarden. New Age that with the meagre wages they frontpage/8603.html

44
 4 Health implications
Water, sanitation and hygiene
are critical to efforts to meet
the Millennium Development
Goals, especially on health
and child mortality but also in
relation to education, gender
and other targets.
Lack of safe drinking water
and proper sanitation has all
the contours of a public health
disaster. Nutrition deficiencies,
diarrhoea and worm
infestations are all related
to poor water, sanitation
and hygiene (WASH). Poor
WASH is strongly linked to
the transmission of common
childhood diseases such
as diarrhoea and acute
respiratory infections.
Tragically, diarrhoeal disease Life in Korail Slum in Dhaka. This is the largest slum in Dhaka city with an
remains one of the leading estimated one million inhabitants. Photo: Mustafa Talpur.
killers of children around the
world, responsible for the
deaths of nearly 1.6 million children annually, yet is no longer considered a global health priority. The burden
is greatest in the developing world where access to safe water, sanitation, and medical care are often limited.
One in every ten deaths is linked to poor sanitation and hygiene and one out of every five children who die of
diarrhoea worldwide is an Indian.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around 10% of the global disease burden is caused by
poor WASH. This burden falls heaviest on children. In an atmosphere of poor health caused by a variety of
pathogens and parasites, primarily from contaminated water or due to poor sanitation, children are unable to
fulfil their education potential. Non fatal common illnesses such as diarrhoea and intestinal worm infections are
another cause of absence from school.
Personal and environmental hygiene have been identified as crucial determinants in reducing the spread of
another disease, Trachoma. In countries and communities where significant improvement in personal hygiene,
water supply and disposal of human and animal excreta and domestic solid waste have occurred, Trachoma
has ceased to be a public health problem. Sanitary infrastructure and services, lifestyle and health related
behaviourial factors constitute critical aspects in the primary prevention of Trachoma. They all need to be
included in interventions aiming at the sustainable and long-lasting reduction or elimination of this blinding
disease. Coincidentally, these measures are among the essential elements of the primary health care approach,
as are health education and the treatment of locally endemic diseases. Hand-washing with soap, the safe
disposal of human and animal waste, and clean drinking water all help to prevent diarrhoeal disease.
The media can play an effective role in raising awareness about the impact of health due to a lack of WASH
and making governments more accountable to their citizens. The stories in this section have been written by
journalists from South Asia, covering the serious health implications of a lack of access to safe water, and
adequate sanitation and hygiene especially for children.

45
 Water, sanitation and hygiene the priority
at WHO Geneva assembly
May 18, 2011, 10:02 pm

By Ifham Nizam Assembly focus on improving access and not a substitute for the existing
to sanitation and water in the worlds effective prevention and control
Water, sanitation and hygiene will poorest countries. measures; particularly safe water and
be given top priority for the first time Cholera is a highly infectious sanitation, he added.
when senior officials on the World diarrhoeal disease and can be life- In South Asia, nearly one billion
Health Organisation meet in Geneva threatening, but the measures to people live without access to
for a discussion this week. prevent it are basic access to safe adequate sanitation and more than
International development agency drinking water and basic sanitation, 700 million practice open defecation
WaterAid, in a resolution, made the accompanied by good hygiene exposing people to serious and
plea to give priority to sanitation and practices, he added. potentially fatal health risks as a result.
water and adopt measures to arrest According to him, the World Health Diarrhoeal diseases are the leading
and prevent the spread of cholera. This Organisation has repeatedly stated cause of child mortality in India,
is due to be discussed and approved that efforts to address cholera should Nepal and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, it
at the Assembly in Geneva. be focused on improving water and is the second leading cause of death
WaterAid South Asias Policy sanitation, there has been a strong in children under five years old, after
Advisor Mustafa Talpur told The push for stricken countries to adopt pneumonia.
Island yesterday that the Assembly the use of oral vaccines. In 2009, an outbreak of diarrhoeal
provided a vital opportunity to achieve We warned that vaccines must not diseases in 20 districts of Nepal killed
real progress in public health through be the sole method applied to contain more than 346 people and affected
improving the availability of clean cholera but that they should be part of 62,016 people. One district alone,
water, better sanitation and hygiene. a comprehensive strategy to prevent Jajarkot, suffered 154 deaths. In India,
It is the first time that a discussion the disease. at least 140 people died in similar
on the role of water, sanitation and The development of safe, circumstances in Orissa state in 2007.
hygiene in health will be undertaken, effective and potentially affordable
he added. oral cholera vaccines is important. http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_
He says Cholera can be a thing However, it is imperative that this cat=article-details&page=article-
of the past if leaders at this weeks approach is complementary to, details&code_title=25694

Health challenges of basic sanitation and hygiene

By Shanika SRIYANANDA This story is not a rosy one. Its about better performing regions during the
the one billion South Asians clamouring global economic slowdown is facing
for toilets. Though sanitation is not health challenges of basic sanitation and
an attractive topic, it means a lot to hygiene.
these people as it has a bearing on This is a problem which the
their dignity and cleanliness. Out of developed world faced and resolved in
this number, about 700 million men, the early 18th century as a fundamental
women and children do not have toilets human development. This neglect in
and have to adopt a undignified modes the way of human development may
to relieve themselves in remote rural be consequential for future economic
villages and the poor in informal urban development potential.
localities in metropolitan cities. The economic, social and
They are exposed to severe health environmental consequences of this
risks, violence and add to environmental situation are globally known. The World
pollution. Bank estimates that the consequences
A majority of schools do not have of inadequate sanitation cost India
decent toilets and hand washing approximately USD 53.8 billion
facilities for children hence, a chance 6.4 percent of GDP every year and
to change their hygiene in the next Bangladesh BDT 295.5 billion (US$4.2
generation is missed out. Economically billion)-6.3 percent of GDP. In India

46
alone every day, more than 1,000 The factors we found are public strengthening South Asian Conference
children under the age of five die from sector investment and greater political on Sanitation process, he pointed out.
diarrhoea caused by dirty water, lack commitment at higher level which FANSAs Ramisetty Muraili said the
of toilets and poor hygiene, placing transformed the societies. report clearly indicates that people want
India in the top spot in world diarrhoea There is political commitment to to live a life of dignity and health, but
rankings. change but not at the required levels, with are frustrated by lack of effective support
Pakistan and Bangladesh, two other new policies and investment for public and failure of poorly planned and
South Asian nations, follow close services but these are not adequate. The implemented projects, whereas some
behind. They aspire for dignity, privacy region also faces the inherent problem of communities are reluctant to adopt safe
and freedom from a life of shame and exclusion. hygiene practices because of sociological
embarrassment. The biggest, and often overlooked, and cultural barriers and extreme
They want functional toilets, waste problems of exclusion and inequality poverty.Moreover, the collective voice
water disposal systems, and adequate deny millions of poor and marginalised of the people also associates sanitation
and regular arrangements for disposal people of their basic rights, Mustafa with notions of happiness, pride, safety,
of solid waste. All countries in South Talpur, Regional Advocacy Manager- health and education.
Asia are signatories to the right to water WaterAid South Asia said at a function The study appeals to policy-makers
and sanitation; however, almost half the held in Colombo to release the report in to revamp institutional mechanisms
regions population is without improved Colombo. that invite community participation
sanitation and more than seven hundred He said sanitation had never been on in sanitation projects. Above all, the
million people defecate in the open the agenda of SAARC in 16 summits study calls for greater accountability and
every day. over the span of 25 years and the transparency measures and a focus on
The report South Asian peoples Millennium Development Goal target human-centred development, targeting
perspective on sanitation released for sanitation to be achieved by 2015 the below-poverty communities in India
ahead of the SAARC Summit held in rests with countries in South Asia and and the hardcore-poor of Bangladesh
The Maldives have highlighted peoples it had demonstrated that it can make and Nepal.
view through interviews conducted things happen with political will.If WSSCCs Archana Patkar said,
in South Asian countries, focus group South Asia makes progress on sanitation, SAARC needs to recognise the sanitation
discussions held with underprivileged then the world will make progress. crisis in the region and challenge the
communities and social groups across The overarching message emerged inequity in the provision and distribution
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and from peoples voices across the region of resources. Governments need to
Sri Lanka. All countries in South Asia is that their political leadership must engage pro-actively in matters related
are signatories to the right to water and take a collective resolve in the region to water, sanitation and hygiene. She
sanitation; however, almost half the to promote right to sanitation and added, The regional mechanisms for
regions population is without improved dignified lives, work to provide them implementation, coordination, research
sanitation and more than seven hundred and their children a disease-free and and knowledge-sharing through the
million people defecate in the open healthy environment. existing SAARC Secretariat is needed
every day. How this aspiration could be to strengthen the process of the South
The report, which prepared together translated into a reality when this region Asian Conference on Sanitation, she
with the Freshwater Action Network faces political hostilities, struggling to said.
South Asia (FANSA) and the Water share a common regional development The report states that the level of
Supply and Sanitation Collaborative vision. Can the issue of sanitation be understanding of sanitation and hygiene,
Council (WSSCC) quoted people who a common factor in this unfriendly and its articulation, was influenced to an
believe that sanitation programmes and political environment?, he said. Mustafa extent by both the educational attainment
projects have failed because of a lack said it was high time for SAARC political of respondents and interventions in the
of involvement and commitment from leadership to come up with clear and area. Interventions made communities
both communities and external agencies ambitious targets, timeline and cash for more educated and aware, and in turn
and the consequent lapses in technology, sanitation and the SAARC leadership people in these communities described
planning, implementation, supervision, needs to recognise that sanitation is the sanitation as hygienic toilets, closed
support and, above all, accountability. building block of a dignified society in drainage and rubbish-free settlements.
For making services sustainable and South Asia. For such communities, it also meant
programmes successful, the quality of They must recognise sanitation crisis regular maintenance of the facilities
construction work should be improved, in the region as diarrhoea is the biggest and sustained availability of services.
minimising vested interest group to child killer in the region. Similarly, it was observed, especially in
benefit, controlling corruption and There is a greater challenge of India and Sri Lanka, that the higher the
establishing an effective operation inequity in resource distribution and educational status of community leaders
and maintenance system.Why is service provision. SAARC can encourage and respondents, the better knowledge
this pathetic condition socially and such moves by national governments. they possessed and the better they
politically accepted in the region, They need to work out a regional could articulate their understanding of
which otherwise inspires the world in mechanism for implementation, sanitation.
many areas? Put another way, how this coordination, research and knowledge However, at the same time even
very basic developmental challenge has sharing and steering the plan through the illiterate respondents had a basic
been addressed by developed countries? the existing SAARC secretariat and understanding of sanitation and hygiene.

47
Mina Begum of Aadibasi Sundarpara compromised by poor sanitation. government organisations; if they help
of Shyamnagar, Satkhira, Bangladesh, Open fields especially in the night or people we deserve that.
is illiterate and belongs to a minority during the rainy season -or railway tracks I believe if people collectively struggle
group. were described as unsafe and instances of for the solution of problems, they
To her, sanitation means a hygienic people losing their limbs, or even their can achieve any goal. Considering the
latrine, safe drinking water, washing lives, and of women being molested United Nations standards, it is the duty
hands with soap, and disposing of were frequently reported, Everyone in of the Sri Lankan Government to ensure
childrens faeces in the latrine. Sanitation the village goes to the nearby fields for access to water and sanitation.For
is essential for life. It is an important part defecation. Sughran Bibi, a housewife of Jungle
of our religion too. Cleanliness helps a According to 50-year-old Veerkala, Barali, district Vehari, Punjab, Pakistan
person get a better education and higher 50, Kota Dewara, Uttar Pradesh, India it it her and her family dignity to have
position in society. Hand-washing with was dirty, troublesome, time consuming a toilet. In the absence of sanitation
soap after defecation is very important and dangerous as well, especially for facilities, people feel degraded, especially
for maintaining hygiene. Food hygiene women and physically challenged when guests arrive.
prevents disease and keeps children people. It is very common for pigs to Many people have migrated from this
healthy. she said. There was also a attack us from behind when we are place just because of poor sanitation.Is
difference between womens perspective squatting in the field. sanitation is a right? Although notions
of sanitation and mens. For women it We are forced to take someone of sanitation as a right were not always
especially meant keeping themselves, along when going out to the fields. clear in many countries, most people,
their houses and their children clean. Goma Chaudhari, community leader whom were interviewed, thought that
Women from some rural communities in Bhiratnagar Municipality, Nepal said it was important and it meant that the
in states like Tamil Nadu said that some people, especially children, still government was responsible to provide
a clean house gave them immense defecate in the open, and while almost adequate facilities and services to the
happiness and pride.Sanitation is all households have toilets, the drainage people. The disposal of used cloths and
the basis for happiness and satisfaction. is open and sewage poorly managed. sanitary napkins is a huge issue across
It urges me to get up early and remains People know about health and hygiene South Asia.
as the first thought for the day to keep in general, but they lack the attitude. In most countries they are thrown
my home and surrounding clean. As the For example, they know the into nearby ditches or places where other
day starts with cleaning, the whole day importance of hand-washing but do not waste is thrown.
then becomes very active and happy act upon it. I guess only 40 percent of In Sri Lanka schools reported
Punitha, Chinnaviai, urban panchayat people in the village are active regarding that as toilets lacked proper bins or
in the district of Kanyakumari in Tamil their cleanliness.Many people across all disposal systems, soiled napkins were
Nadu, India said. It is a matter of dignity the countries believed that keeping ones strewn around toilets, dissuading other
despite the gender. body and environment clean, leading children from using them. According
Understanding of sanitation was a healthy life and protecting oneself to the report, projects have been
closely related to open defecation and from disease constitute sanitation and successful where there has been a high
the need for toilets, especially in crowded hygiene. level of community involvement from
urban settlements. Whether recalling Those who had a clear understanding the planning to the implementation
exposure to a sanitation intervention or of hygiene perceived that living in an stage. Community leaders in Nepal for
not, almost all women and most male unhygienic environment led to all kinds instance suggested that projects need to
respondents reported feeling acutely of diseases. first sensitise communities to construct
embarrassed in front of neighbours They said that following simple public and private toilets, and engage
as well as outsiders in the absence of a hygiene practices, like washing hands local people to monitor and maintain
private toilet. before meals or cooking food, keeping the initiatives.
Privacy and dignity are especially the drinking water covered and so on, They believe that unless people take
important to women. would eliminate many of the diseases. ownership of what they receive, success
There is a need for separate toilets They were clear that it would therefore is not possible. Most community leaders
for each house because people without also contribute towards reducing poverty, believe that support for infrastructure
toilets are cornered by others and face H. A Chandana, from the Uva province, alone is not sufficient to make sanitation
difficulties entertaining guests, that was Sri Lanka, who was quoted in the report, initiatives successful.
the view of Gayani Mendis, from Galle, said: It is government responsibility
Sri Lanka. The safety of men, women that it should expand peoples right to h t t p : / / w w w. s u n d a y o b s e r v e r.
and children was often found to be them. I do not know much about non lk/2011/11/13/fea10.asp

48
 Why the health sector is silent on child mortality
in South Asia
April 5, 2011, 8:40 pm

By Mustafa Talpur usage of improved sanitation in countries in South Asia differently This approach of divorcing
India and Pakistan is 31% and and in piecemeal efforts rather sanitation interventions from
About half a million children, 45% and their child mortality looking comprehensively to all health policies, planning
future citizens of South Asia, rate is 65.6 and 87/1000. Though the determinants of child health and programming especially
die every year before reaching this analysis seems very simple including sanitation which is an from child health policies has
to their fifth birthday due to and may be naive but there are important element of primary serious consequences on future
diseases that are preventable. robust studies to prove a clear health. There might be some interventions too if the South
There is substantial evidence that link between poor sanitation, projects to address specific Asian government are still
diarrhoea is the second biggest diarrhoea and child mortality. diseases, these approaches reluctant to shift the paradigm.
killer of children worldwide and The history of sanitation might have worked in some Unless sanitation is brought on
South Asia is no exception. It is interventions also proves child countries and rare occasions the mainstream development
not surprising that diarrhoea mortality was significantly but have not brought significant agenda, considered a priority
continues to be a leading cause reduced in Europe with investing improvements in overall child area for poverty alleviation,
of child mortality and morbidity in sanitation systems and health. The single most important improving public health, the
in South Asia when nearly one hygiene habits. This was not factor in improving public crisis will continue. The sector
billion people live without access done in isolation but looking into health has been sanitation. engaged in providing sanitation
to adequate sanitation across the huge returns to public health Multiple studies have proved services need to be fully
the region. Diarrhoeal disease system, these interventions were that sanitation interventions are recognised and strengthened but
is linked to poor sanitation and considered core elements of cost effective and bring multiple other sectors such as health and
hygiene practices. improving public health and even benefits in comparison to other education should also take lead
There is hardly any instance in a minimum standard for nation curative measures. Clinical based in provision of sanitation services
the World where countries have building in some of the countries. solutions of diarrhoeal diseases to improve school enrolment and
developed without investing The returns on sanitation could are expensive for poor families- reduce burden on national health
in child health generally and be multiple in reducing child majority of South Asians live in systems.
sanitation particularly. Then mortality, significant reduction less than $ 2 a day and should not In the light of above discussion,
why is South Asia failing to in morbidity & health costs, be the preferred option for health health sector could play a critical
address this crisis? Here, we try improving school attendance, planning and programming. In role in lifting millions of the
to explore some of the reasons bringing security and dignity. addition to direct financial cost citizens of South Asia from these
for this pathetic situation and All these factors consequently related to treatment much of pathetic conditions and could be
argue that the region needs a have positive impact on reducing other losses such as missed school instrumental in not only saving
transformation. poverty in the region. Breaking days, malnutrition attributed the lives of children but also
Under-five child mortality the vicious cycle of poor health to diarrhoea, lost working days reducing morbidity burden. What
is considered to be the best caused by poor sanitation and and effect of diseases on overall could be the role of health sector
indicator to measure progress leading to poverty will have more health and cognisance growth and what kind of interventions
in a country. In the Millennium returns to poor families. could not be compensated health sector need to be doing to
Development Goals, all countries The challenge is not which with traditional clinical based pro-actively engage in improving
in the region agreed to reduce we keep looking at, pumping solutions. Sanitation investment sanitation condition. Most
child mortality by two thirds. more money and building can accrue all these additional important and foremost could
With four years left to go, this more toilets. But problem lies benefits. be prioritising sanitation in all
task seems daunting. Is ready somewhere else. Sanitation UK based charity WaterAid health related policies, planning
to embrace a change beyond has been dealt as a periphery argues in one of their recent and programming. Sanitation
conventional thinking which subject and kept within the research that developing should be made an integral
would transform the lives of remit of sector ministries mainly countries health systems are part of national health systems.
millions of children at risk? local government agencies. The over burdened with patients Secondly the decision regarding
Without going into rigorous linkages of sanitation with public having diseases caused by poor health related interventions and
statistical modelling, the link health even considered were not sanitation and unsafe water, investments must be guided by
between improved sanitation properly dealt with as it should yet decision regarding health the disease burden data, if half
facilities and child mortality have been. Sanitation has never intervention priorities is not of the hospital beds are occupied
is evident. Sri Lanka and the been considered as a child health guided by the prevalence of by the patients having diseases
Maldives, with the use of promotion policy. While the disease data. Health sector takes related to unsafe water and poor
improved sanitation facilities, major beneficiaries if sanitation the conventional path of curative sanitation then resources must be
above 90 percent have child improved will be children. medicine which is expensive and diverted to address those causes
mortality rate 14.7 and The problem of child health has could not bring the associated rather building more hospitals,
12.7/1000 respectively, while been approached in many of the benefit as sanitation can bring. hiring more doctors and paying

49
pharmaceutical bills. Thirdly performance of these workers sanitation sector in the region, children and citizen of South Asia
almost all the countries in South could be linked to improved it would be appropriate to bring are looking for and this is what
Asia have large contingents sanitation conditions and health professionals and other their profession demands.
of rural health workers; these resultantly improved child health agencies working on health
could be trained, equipped and in the specified geographical to listen, plan and pro-actively Mr. Talpur is Regional Advocacy
resourced to deliver public health locations or jurisdictions. engage with this process of & Policy Advisor, WaterAid
messages including hygiene. On the occasion of the improving sanitation a root South Asia
The institution of rural health fourth South Asian Conference cause of child deaths. They
workers need to be strengthened on Sanitation, a regional forum need to think differently and act http://www.island.lk/index.
and mandated to carry out where government officials, civil innovatively to contribute to this php?page_cat=article-
primary health care programmes society and donors sit together noble cause of saving lives and details&page=article-
including sanitation. The to articulate future priorities of returning dignity for which the details&code_title=22463

Global Handwashing Day: Soap?

Theres no clean water even
AMAR GURIRO Sunday, 16 Oct 2011 6:15 am

KARACHI In a small village in

the Badin district, Subhan and his
friends used to play cricket in a vast
ground nearby. But this seasons
monsoon rains have flooded the entire
ground with rainwater mixed with
agricultural wastewater; and what used
to be a playground, has now become a
swimming pond.
Even as the children enjoy their
swimming in the huge pool of water,
they and their parents are unaware
of the disastrous consequences that
this polluted water can bring to them.
Already, teenaged Subhan and many of
his friends are suffering from various skin
diseases, with rashes and inflammation and mortality more than 50 percent. death globally among children under
patches spread all over their bodies. But for the residents of this village five years of age with nearly one in five
On Saturday, as countries across the in Badin, using soap is entirely a new deaths about 1.5 million each year.
globe arranged different programmes to concept as when someone falls ill The data further reveals that diarrhoea
highlight the importance of handwashing and approaches a doctor, they are kills more children than the combined
by celebrating the Global Handwashing first prescribed by the medics to drink toll from acquired immune deficiency
Day-2011, most of the children in this mineral water as medicine. Talking with syndrome, malaria and measles.
flood-hit village are suffering from skin Pakistan Today, Subhans father, Anwer, In Pakistan, more than 250,000
diseases with no doctors or a clinic to said: Despite the passage of three children die every year due to abdominal
attend them in the vicinity. months [since flooding], wastewater is diseases. Even when most people, non-
As planned, the Global Handwashing running through most of the freshwater governmental organisations and even
Day was to revolve around activities courses in our village. the media highlight lack of clean water,
in playgrounds, classrooms, and We have no other option than to nearly one billion people across the globe
community and public places to drive consume this water. When there is a meal lack access to safe water while 2.5 billion
forward the handwashing with soap on the table [in the prevalent conditions], do not have proper sanitation facilities.
campaign and trigger a behavioural who cares about handwashing and Subhans village, it seems, will take
change in children on a massive scale. that too with soap, he added. Due to long time before it appears on the radar
The Global Handwashing Day is unsatisfactory sanitation and no trend of international donors, non-profit
celebrated every year on October 15 to for handwashing, abdominal diseases organisations and institutions working
highlight awareness on washing hands among children are widespread. on healthcare and child morality to be
with soap as a key approach to disease According to official data compiled informed about how to stay away from
prevention that can contribute to a by international institutions, diarrhoea the polluted water.
significant decrease in child morbidity remains the second leading cause of

50
Adopt sanitation, hygiene and clean water
for healthy living
By Alka Pande voluntary organisations, UN agencies Kar, the Development Consultant
and the private sector. Using the power and Chairman of the Community-Led
After Indias most celebrated Bollywood of sports, it organises various activities Total Sanitation (CLTS) Foundation,
star Shah Rukh Khan becoming in schools and reaches out to children India.
the brand ambassador for Geneva- to raise awareness about hygiene with Poor sanitation is costing
based Water Supply and Sanitation a specific focus on hand washing. In developing nations 3-7 per cent of
Collaborative Council (WSSCC), now South Asia, WASH United is focusing GDP every year. There is an urgent
Indian cricket players are to promote particularly on sanitation and hygiene need to prioritise sanitation at national,
sanitation and hygiene in the country. through cricket. The expanse of the regional, global and political levels,
Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan have campaign also includes other cricket says Jon Lane Executive Director of
already shot a clip, in which they are loving South Asian nations Sri Lanka, WSSCC.
asking people: Adopt the WASH hat Bangladesh and Pakistan. As per United Nations statistics,
trick sanitation, hygiene, clean water There is probably no other sport a thousand children die in India from
for healthy living. that unifies and moves billions of diarrhoea, which is a preventable
An international organisation WASH people in South Asia like cricket disease as it is caused by consuming
United is negotiating with various does, says Keifer. Sanitation is a unsafe and dirty water and poor
other cricket palyers also, including non-attractive subject but celebrities hygiene. The figure puts India at the
Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, to like cricket stars can make it sound top in the world in diarrhoea ranking
take them on board in Wash United cool and an excitement can be built much ahead of neighbouring nations
Cricket Club, for promotion of hand around the issue, he adds. like Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.
washing, especially among children. The experiment became a success Starting a pilot campaign on
The posters of Pathans were displayed in Africa during the 2009 World Cup Hand Washing Day on October 15,
at the Global Forum on Sanitation Football. Over 100 organisations WASH United will aim to intensify the
and Hygiene, which has recently in across eight nations Lesotho, campaign during the next international
concluded in Mumbai. The Forum held Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, 20:20 cricket series, which is
by the WSSCC (Water Supply and South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka,
Sanitation Collaborative Council), saw used football players namely Didier Bangladesh and India in 2012, 2013
the participation of over 450 people Drogba and Michael Ballack, to and 2014, respectively. It will involve
from over 70 countries. educate children the importance of cricket players from these nations
The WSSCC works with its handwashing. to convey the message of sanitation
partners all across the globe to ensure The result was that 30,000 children among the masses, especially children
sustainable sanitation, better hygiene were trained and became the member and youth.
and safe drinking water for all people. of the club. Over 100 international and
The idea was derived from a local stars supported the cause. (The author is a senior journalist based
similar venture with football players, South Asian nations too are facing in Lucknow, India and writes for Citizen
which proved great success in African a crisis situation, tak the example of News Service CNS. Website: www.
nations, International coordinator India where 600 million people go for citizen-news.org)
for WASH Thorsten Kiefer told this open defecation every day although
correspondent in Mumbai. 700 million use mobile phones. The http://www.pakistanchristianpost.
Wash United is a social club that situation needs to be addressed c o m / v i e w a r t i c l e s .
brings together leading sports stars, through innovative ideas, says Kmal php?editorialid=1361

51
 Encephalitis kills 400 in flood-hit northern India
05 Oct 2011 15:12

Source: alertnet // Alka Pande

By Alka Pande

LUCKNOW, India, (AlertNet) More

than 400 people in northern India
have died in the past month from
encephalitis, a rare condition that causes
inflammation of the brain, government
officials said on Wednesday.
Encephalitis is most often caused
by a viral infection from eating or
drinking contaminated food or water,
from mosquito or other insect bites,
or through breathing in respiratory
droplets from an infected person.
Around 347 people have died in the
Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, while 54
children have died in the neighbouring
state of Bihar. Over two thousand cases
have been reported in the last three
months.
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome has
two types of infections Japanese This September 2008 photo shows children playing after evacuating their homes on the
Encephalitis, which occurs due riverbed of Yamuna in New Delhi. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan
to mosquitoes and Entro-viral
Encephalitis, which is caused due to high fever, headache, stiff neck and back, adopting short term measures to deal
unsafe drinking water, said Dinesh vomiting, confusion and, in severe cases, with the infection instead of making any
Kumar Srivastava from the Community seizures, paralysis and coma. Infants and long term plan to get rid of the virus,
Medicine Department in Uttar Pradeshs elderly people are particularly at risk of said Sanjay Kumar Srivastava from
Gorakhpur district, where patients are severe illness. Action for Peace, Prosperity and Liberty
receiving treatment. The infection spreads every year in (APPL), a charity doing research on the
Officials said the main areas where the impoverished parts of Uttar Pradesh disease.
outbreak of the virus has been noticed during the monsoon season, resulting in Besides, no preventive measures are
have been poor, flood-hit areas of the hundreds of deaths. taken to stop the outbreak, he added,
region, where this years monsoons have Officials say the government has suggesting that vaccinations be more
left pools of stagnant water that have earmarked 22 million rupees ($450,000) readily available to adults as well as to
allowed mosquitoes to breed and infect to tackle problems like the unavailability children.
villagers. of clean drinking water, lack of sanitation
The floods have also led to the and water-logging, to prevent the virus (Writing by Nita Bhalla, additional
contamination of clean water sources from spreading. reporting by AlertNet correspondent in
such as wells, leaving many people with But local aid workers say efforts need Patna)
no option but to use the same dirty to be stepped up.
water for both drinking and sanitation. The infection started in the early http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/
According to the World Health 1970s and since then it has become encephalitis-kills-400-in-flood-hit-
Organisation, viral encephalitis causes an annual feature. The government is northern-india

52
Asia Views Thousands of South Asian kids dying
due to water woes
By Alka Pande | Tue., March 22, Asias third largest economy
12:48 AM | almost $54 billion every year.
Premature death, treatment
Alka Pande is a journalist based for the sick, wasted time and
in Lucknow, India productivity as well as lost
tourism revenues are the main
Despite years of global reasons for such huge losses.
commitments to improving Yet this has not spurred South
access to clean water and Asia countries to take the issue
adequate sanitation, more than seriously enough.
7,000 children below the age of Of the eight South Asian
five years old still die every day nations, only Sri Lanka and
across South Asia. Maldives have done parallel
Under the umbrella of the progress in the water and
South Asian Association for sanitation sector, says Ashutosh
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Tiwari, country representative for
as well as part of the U.N.s WaterAid in Nepal.
Millennium Development Goals, An Indian man tries to collect water leaking from the tank of a truck In the rest of the nations
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, carrying drinking water in the eastern city of Calcutta on February 20, India, Nepal, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan 2002. REUTERS/Jayanta Shaw Afghanistan, Pakistan and
and Bhutan have committed Bhutan sanitation facilities are
to improving access to clean much lower than facilities for
drinking water and sanitation for and remain exposed to severe Agencies like the World Health water, he adds.
their people. health risks, besides adding Organisation estimate than for The region is now gearing
The promises and resolutions to environmental pollution, every $1 invested in water and up to discuss the importance of
passed by these nations have says Mustafa Talpur, regional sanitation, countries will save $9 improving water and sanitation
really not materialised, with advocacy and policy advisor for in costs related to sickness, death at the South Asian Conference on
every second person forced WaterAid in Pakistan. caused by diseases due to poor Sanitation or SACOSAN expected
to defecate in the open and Similarly, over 211 million water supply. to be held in Colombo in April.
every eighth person drinking people in South Asia do not use
contaminated water. improved source of drinking HIGH COST http://www.trust.org/alertnet/
About one billion people water and stay vulnerable to a Last year, the World Bank said blogs/asia-views/thousands-of-
in South Asian nations do not number of diseases, especially that a lack of toilets and poor south-asian-kids-dying-due-to-
practice improved sanitation diarrhoea, he adds. hygiene practices in India cost water-woes

Child killers
MUSTAFA TALPUR KATHMANDU, APR 24 2010

Access to safe water, adequate US$ 1 invested in water and sanitation MDGs estimates that 1.027 billion (64
sanitation and sufficient hygiene are is estimated at US$ 9 in the developing percent) out of the 1.595 billion people
critical to human development and countries. Despite these benefits, in South Asia do not use improved
well-being by reducing disease burden almost all the countries in South Asia sanitation; and similarly, 211 million
and deaths, increasing economic are off-track in achieving the sanitation people, or one in every eight people,
benefits, contributing towards human Millennium Development Goals. do not use improved drinking water
dignity especially of women and The countries in the South Asia sources.
protecting the environment. Both region have made some efforts, but Almost two-thirds of the population
costs associated with lack of access still a large number of people do not in South Asia faces indignity every
to safe water and basic sanitation and have access to safe assured drinking day, and 716 million people or every
the benefits derived from improved water or sanitation so that they can second person in this region practices
access are greatest for the poor. The lead healthy and dignified lives. The open defecation and is exposed to
ratio of economic returns from every UN joint monitoring programme of severe health risks besides adding to
53
environmental pollution. The urban- for agriculture. Many countries in South of diarrhoeal deaths by 65 percent.
rural disparity in the use of improved Asia share trans-boundary rivers. In the Similarly, the only study conducted
sanitation facilities is another important wake of increasing energy and water in a developing country found that
issue. A majority of the un-served 895 demands, tensions may increase over washing the hands with soap reduced
million people out of the 1.027 billion control of water which will affect the the incidence of pneumonia by 50
are located in rural areas. Afghanistan, already fragile political environment. percent. By providing effective water
Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Nepal are A research by WaterAid, a UK-based and sanitation services, there is a
facing huge urban-rural disparities in charity, has found that inadequate possibility that half of the deaths
the use of improved sanitation facilities. sanitation may be the biggest killer of occurring due to diarrhoea and
This gap affects a significant number children under the age of five globally. pneumonia could be prevented.
of people in Pakistan and India due to According to UNICEF, 8.8 million The extent and magnitude of water,
their population size. The urban-rural children died in 2008 before reaching sanitation and hygiene issues in the
disparity in South Asia indicates a their fifth birthday. Historical as well region is out of the league of a single
larger issue of severe social exclusion as recent evidence shows a strong country. It has a regional dimension
and injustice prevailing in this part of link between improved sanitation and requires a shared vision, common
the world. and reduction in child mortality. In understanding and solution. Not only
The slow pace of progress, the the decade of peak investment in do the countries of South Asia share
urban-rural divide and open defecation sanitation in the UK from 1900 to many fresh water rivers, applied
are the major reasons for the sanitation 1910, the infant mortality rate fell from knowledge on sanitation technologies
crisis in South Asia. With the current 160 deaths per 1,000 live births to 100, need to be widely shared, distributed
rate of annual progress, Bangladesh, one of the steepest declines in history. and adapted. South Asia has many
India, Nepal and Pakistan will achieve Similar patterns have been observed similarities including a lower level of
their MDG target in 2029, 2047, 2030 in others parts of the world where human development and poverty. The
and 2028 respectively. It is important huge gains in public health within a South Asian Association for Regional
to note here that achieving the MDG short period of time were achieved. Cooperation (SAARC) is an appropriate
target is not sufficient as a large In Sri Lanka, where infant mortality platform of the governments in South
portion of the population will be living fell from 141 per 1,000 in the 1940s to Asia to discuss and develop a regional
without improved sanitation facilities. 13 per 1,000 at the beginning of this response to this crisis. SAARC has
Being 13-32 years behind the MDG century, local government action in taken cognisance of these issues in
target is too late to serve only half of sanitation was a critical factor. Recent Article III of the SAARC Social Charter
the population! research has revealed the impact of and the Colombo Statement of
The progress made in the use of sanitation as a catalyst for reducing Children in South Asia.
improved water sources in South Asia child mortality in three East Asian Despite these commitments and
is encouraging. Almost 87 percent developmental states. recognition of the problem, SAARC so
of the people were using improved In 2008, 2.8 million children under far has not developed any mechanism
sources in 2008, which is equal to the the age of five died in South Asia. to increase regional cooperation and set
global use and slightly higher than the This is almost one-third (32 percent) targets for moving towards realisation
use in other developing regions of the of the 8.8 million children who died of the rights to water and sanitation.
world (84 percent). The immediate in the world. This means that every Looking at the severity of the crisis and
challenge faced by drinking water is day, 7,762 future citizens of South its implications, it is suggested that
quality and sustainability of services. Asia are being lost. UNICEF estimates SAARC develop a shared water and
Minerals including fluoride and arsenic that 17 percent and 19 percent of the sanitation vision, set ambitious targets
have been found in several regions deaths globally are due to diarrhoea and devise an urgent plan to tackle the
of South Asia. Surface water bodies and pneumonia respectively. It is water and sanitation crisis in order to
such as rivers, lakes and canals complicated to quantify the impact of guarantee dignified lives to their citizens
have been heavily polluted by urban poor sanitation and unsafe water on and work out a regional mechanism for
sewerage disposal and industrial child mortality as it also manifests in implementation, coordination, research
waste. Factoring in the water quality other fatal diseases. These estimates and knowledge sharing. It can be done
may change these figures or undo also vary from continent to continent. through the existing SAARC secretariat.
the progress. Depleting ground water, However, to simplify the matter, let it be It is necessary to develop a regional
pollution of surface water and source stated that diarrhoea and pneumonia water and sanitation fund from the
sustainability are the major future alone caused 1,019, 880 deaths in perspective of improving public health
challenges in fulfilling the rights to water South Asia in 2008. in the region as already committed in
in this region. Climate change will be If malnutrition caused by diarrhoea the social charter.
exacerbating this problem as coastal is factored in, this number will increase (The author is regional advocacy and
sea intrusion renders groundwater substantially. According to rigorous policy advisor, WaterAid South Asia
saline and increased disasters such as research and expert opinions, these Region)
floods and cyclones destroy water and deaths could have been prevented with
sanitation infrastructure. improved sanitation and safe drinking [email protected]
With an increasing population and water. It is estimated that safe disposal h t t p : / / w w w. e k a n t i p u r. c o m / t h e -
subsequent rise in energy and food of excreta and improved hygiene kathmandu-post/2010/04/24/Oped/
demands, more water will be required practices could reduce incidences Child-killers/207575/

54
 Diarrhoea leading cause of child deaths in SA
Mustafizur Rahman. Colombo conference, diarrhoea claimed 750,000 Nepal and Pakistan.
children under five in South Asia due Around 140 representatives of civil
Representatives of civil society groups to poor sanitation and unsafe water, society groups from the South Asian
on Saturday called on the South Asian Freshwater Action Network South countries of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan,
countries for taking time-bound action Asia convenor Ramisetti Murali told a Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan
to make sanitation and hygiene available news briefing. Country director of the and Afghanistan, gathered here besides
to all the people in the region. WaterAid in Bangladesh Khairul Islam international organisations working
Speaking at a consultation ahead of told New Age that around 200,000 in the region to exchange experiences
the fourth ministerial level South Asian children under five died in Bangladesh on the sanitation crisis for tackling the
Conference on Sanitation, which begins for lack of sanitation and safe drinking challenges.
in Colombo on Monday, they urged water during the period. The Delhi Declaration 2008 set
the national governments in the region He said although Bangladesh had out clear goals for tackling the crisis
to pay attention to designing equitable made some progress in reducing open recognising access to safe sanitation and
and inclusive sanitation and hygiene defecation, it still remained far from drinking water as a basic right.
programmes. achieving the goals of hygiene, especially The nations of the region reaffirmed
Safe disposal of Human excreta, a menstrual hygiene set in the Delhi the commitment to tackle the crisis on
big challenge, would bring together the Declaration. priority for achieving the millennium
ministers of the region at the four-day Speakers at various sessions development goal on sanitation by 2015.
conference. The civil society groups underlined the need for launching NGOs Freshwater Action Network,
urged for a time-bound action plan awareness campaigns to ensure improved South Asia, Water Supply and Sanitation
for the full implementation of all the sanitation for enhanced quality of life to Collaborative Council and WaterAid
commitments made at the previous reduce the health costs. jointly hosted the consultations.
South Asian Conferences on Sanitation They identified poor sanitation as
held in Dhaka, Islamabad and Delhi. a major obstacle in the fight to reduce http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/
In two years since the Delhi child mortality in Bangladesh, India, frontpage/14017.html

55
 5 Governance and financing
In contrast to other developing regions, South Asia has two of the oldest, continuous democracies in the Third
world: India and Sri Lanka. Currently all five states in South Asia have graduated to functioning democracies.
These positive political tendencies have, however, not been potent enough to improve the quality of governance
in South Asia1. There is widespread agreement that governance is intrinsically important for improvements in
economic and social outcomes2. South Asias development performance has lagged behind its East/South
East Asian neighbours. All South Asian countries have a low ranking on the Human Development Index. South
Asia accounts for nearly 23% of the worlds population, but its share in global Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
is less than 3%. The region is home to 400 million of the worlds poor, which means that nearly 30% of the
regions population lives below the poverty line3.
In South Asia currently over one billion people lack improved sanitation facilities and nearly 700 million practice
open defecation. The South Asia region holds the key to the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals
related to water and sanitation. Any effort towards achieving the 2015 targets would require political commitment,
a clear institutional home, policies, capacity and financial resources. As such it is increasingly recognised
that understanding and addressing issues of governance is crucial for sustainable sector development,
accountability and aid effectiveness.
In South Asia it is generally difficult to analyse the financial allocation and spending in the WASH sector as in
most countries there is no separate budget line in national and sub national budgets for WASH. This makes
it even more difficult to analyse issues such as financial gaps, funds flow, equitable distribution of funds,
transparency and effective implementation on the ground.
At the citizens and civil society organisations level there is very limited literacy on the economic aspects of
WASH. People are unable to demand both rights of and access to water and sanitation services as they lack
skills in understanding the underlying principles, processes and the scope of budgeting from formulation to
the auditing phase. This makes it even more difficult for citizens and civil society organisations to monitor
government budgets for accountability and decision-making for just and democratic governance.
The media can play an effective role in making governments more accountable to their citizens; making aid
providers more accountable to those intended to benefit from it. The media can also supply information to
citizens on budget data and related policy explanations given by the government and donors. The stories in
this section have been written by journalists from South Asia who have covered many of the issues.

Residents of Ranau village

in the White Desert area are
waiting for their turn to get
water from the well. The desert
is suffering from acute water
shortage and people have to
walk miles to get water and
usually wait hours for their turn
to fill their containers.
Photo: Amar Guriro.
1 Sobhan R (1999) South Asias weak development: The role of governance, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2 ODI (2006) Governance, development and aid effectiveness: A quick guide to complex relationships, ODI Briefing Paper.
3 http://www.spotlightofpeace.com/finance/why-is-south-asia-lagging-behind-in-economic-development/
56
 SPECIAL
Bathing some, thirsty others!
Tue, Mar 22nd, 2011 8:19 am BdST
Nurul Islam Hasib University of Engineering and population, pipe water supply remains a
Technology (BUET). pipedream for most of them.
Dhaka, Mar 22 (bdnews24.com) The He said there was a critical need for a Ironically though, low-income
underground water level is depleting fast, quick reduction in over-dependency on slum-dwellers have to pay more than
while the use of surface water is simply groundwater. Attention should be given high-income people due to fixed water
scanty: a perfect recipe for triggering to use of surface water. rates, pointed out Rahman.
drinking water crisis. Only Chittagong City Corporation He calculated, There is wide gap in
And, this is true of a country like manages 30 to 35 percent of its water consumption pattern from about 20
Bangladesh, which is known for its pre- from the surface water sources, apart litre per person per day in low-income
dominantly inequitable distribution of from the capital city. slums to about 400 litre per person per
water. Utilising surface water will involve day in high-income areas.
Going by the expert view, while reclaiming and saving the rivers and But poor slum-dwellers without
pollution of water sources and weak canals from illegal occupation as well as piped-water service end up buying water
distribution system management affect checking pollution boom, Rahman said, at higher costs about Tk 100 per 1,000
quality of water supplied to urban adding efforts of government agencies litre, whereas it is only Tk 7.30 per 1,000
households, access to pure drinking apart from Wasa were imperative in this litre in piped-water supply areas.
water remains a far cry for coastal as well regard. But in coastal region, the scenario
as lot many rural areas. is quite different. Recently, local
Given an ever-increasing demand WATER MINING government bodies and NGOs of the
for safe and clean drinking water Experts also warn that groundwater Khulna division gathered at a coastal
consequent to the fast population base in Dhaka would not sustain for water conference, which was unanimous
growth and urbanisation, the experts long, given the limited number of water on the appalling state of water supply in
insist the government come to terms bodies. the region.
with the challenge of water management In fact, what has worsened the scenario Even upazila towns, like Pikgacha
sooner than later. is unabated grabbing of waters bodies by under Khulna, have to depend on
Harvesting rainwater on the rooftops land sharks and city dwellers erecting reserve ponds for drinking water. As
and use of both underground and houses at all open spaces the city. per then definition, they are urban areas,
surface water equally can stem the crisis Groundwater does not get recharged but they have no access to safe water
to a great extent, they feel. automatically, as fast urbanisation they have to queue up at far-off places to
has left no open space to accumulate fetch drinking water, said Islam.
URBAN WATER SUPPLY rainwater. It threatens both quantity
According to the water management and quality of water, said WaterAid in WATER SUPPLY IN RURAL AREAS
authorities, densely-populated Dhaka Bangladesh country representative Md Experts contend that rural people
city gets 87 percent water supplied from Khairul Islam. mostly depend on shallow hand-pump
the groundwater sources, while the rest We are pumping out groundwater tubewells, of which 19 percent are found
comes from the surface water options. from beneath the earth and its not arsenic-contaminated.
But the actual rate of groundwater recharging one day it will finish, Besides, as the water level drops,
exploitation is going to be much higher he expressed apprehension, terming the shallow tubewells in those areas,
in the days to come, as Wasa does not the phenomenon mining of water, particularly in the northwest and central
count the use of pumps for sucking out and pointed out that some residents in regions, are unable to yield water, posing
drinking water by various universities, Mirpur and old part of the capital were a serious threat to the present shallow
medical colleges, cantonment, hospitals, not getting water from their age-old tubewell-dependent rural water supply
etc. tube-wells. system.
Although alarming but true that Nurul Amin, a retired teacher of
the groundwater level in the capital INEQUITY IN WATER USE Mathbaria under Pirojpur district, said
is depleting by two to three metres a As for supply of water, it varies from their family tubewell did not pump out
year, according to a 2004 survey by the city to city and person to person in water anymore.
Institute of Water Modelling. Bangladesh.
In short, the dependency on About 83 percent people get pipe BROKEN PROMISES
groundwater is increasing with each water in the capital Dhaka, while it is 41 To address the rural water crisis,
passing day. percent for Chittagonj, 45 percent for the government in its Water Supply
It might create scope for land Khulna and 40 percent for some of the and Sanitation Policy 1998 kept the
subsidence and crisis in water output, 102 municipal towns. provision of a government reserve pond
opined environment engineer Md Although the people in slums in each union for public use.
Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh constitute 35 percent of the total city But it has not been implemented

57
to date. There are some ponds in some three months to go before the close of water management. They should fix
unions, but the union administrations this financial year. a national targethow much drinking
leased them out for fish cultivation, water they would collect from rain and
said Zobair Hassan, a Development WHAT TO DO? otherwise, Islam said and stressed that
Organisation for the Rural Poor researcher. First we should change our mindset, in the present situation, priority should
He said even people had no idea said Islam, as he believes there should be be given to rainwater harvesting.
about their allocation, adding that a unique system for water supply. The target can be achieved by different
policy decisions were not carried out at Only the town people get piped city corporations, who would collect rain
the field level. watereven for kitchens and toilets, water based on their annual rainfall.
The Annual Development and the rural people do not get even for But everything should be done in a
Programme 2010-2011 ensures pipe- drinking This mindset must change, planned way, he said.
water supply in those unions where he stressed.
water is not safe for consumption, but Besides, the water experts say, the http://bdnews24.com/details.
measures are yet to be taken despite only authorities should learn more about php?id=190568&cid=13

Govt urged to form Ganga panchayats

Arun Kumar, TNN | Jun 8, 2011, 07.21AM IST

PATNA: National River Ganga Basin government officials to form these and pollution, Singh told the minister.
Authority (NRGBA) member and panchayats with the help of people In course of his discussion with
Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra who are known for their commitment principal secretary of the department,
Singh here on Tuesday expressed to clean the Ganga -- they may Singh advised him to demarcate the
concern over the discharge of sewage be religious leaders, civil society Ganga river land and its encroachment
effluents into the Ganga. members, journalists, engineers, and reclaim the land usurped by the
Singh, who visited the Ganga ghats planners and community leaders. people. Sharma assured him that the
here earlier in the day, discussed the In course of his discussion with department had all the records related
issue with urban development minister the minister, Singh emphasised on to river land and it will be done very
Prem Kumar, principal secretary creating awareness about cleaning of shortly. Drafting of river zone control
Shashi Shekhar Sharma and urban Ganga for which the latter advised him act also figured in the discussion with
development department additional to take up Ganga Chetna Yatra. He the principal secretary, Singh said.
secretary D K Shukla in the state also advised the minister to formulate a
secretariat. balanced, people-friendly, eco-friendly http://timesofindia.indiatimes.
The Magsaysay Award winner also Ganga River policy. He said the state com/city/patna/Govt-urged-
discussed the need to form Ganga river policy should also be framed. to-form-Ganga-panchayats/
panchayats in all the 21 towns of Bihar needs a river zone control act to articleshow/8767364.
the state located along the bank regulate encroachment of river land, cms?intenttarget=no
of the Ganga. He advised the state stop change of river land use pattern

58
 Toilets for all may take 124 years in Bihar
ARUN KUMAR, TNN Apr 23, 2011, 04.42pm IST

PATNA: Nitish Kumars sushasan could be achieved in Jehanabad achieve the target between 2030- with the current TSC coverage of
and the political classs district only by 2135! 50. These districts are: Bhojpur 25.31%, is expected to achieve
avowed concern for the poor The DDWS figures on and Buxar (2032), Saran (2034), the target by 2084, according to
notwithstanding, basic human sanitation coverage show that Siwan and Khagaria (2039), DDWS statistics.
dignity would continue to elude Katihar district is likely to be Gaya (2041), Kishanganj (2043), Jamui districts TSC coverage
the downtrodden in Bihar till the first district to be open Bhagalpur (2044), Sheohar and rate is 19% and may achieve the
2135 more than a hundred defecation-free by 2014 two Banka (2045), and Munger and target by 2074, while Madhubani
years from now what with years after the deadline. Vaishali Nawada (2049). (TSC coverage of 21.35%) is likely
their women and girls having to and Muzaffarpur will follow next, Rest of the districts are expected to achieve this target by 2075.
defecate in the open till then. That achieving the target by 2015. to achieve the target of being Madhepura may achieve the goal
is if the figures of the department At the present pace of open defecation-free after 2050. of being defecation-free by 2067.
of drinking water and sanitation implementation of the Total In Jehanabad, which is expected Nalanda is likely to achieve this
(DDWS), Union rural development Sanitation Campaign (TSC), to achieve this target in 2135, the target by 2053, West Champaran
ministry, are to be believed. DDWS figures show, Begusarai, current Total Sanitation Campaign (2054), Purnia district (2051), East
According to the departments Rohtas and Patna districts will coverage rate is 27.39%. Champaran (2080), Samastipur
figures, none of the 38 Bihar achieve this target by 2022, 2023 Araria, with 11.19% TSC (2058) and Supaul (2107).
districts is likely to meet the and 2024 respectively. Presently, implementation rate, is expected
Centres deadline of being open TSC coverage rate of Begusarai to achieve the target by 2120. http://articles.timesofindia.
defecation-free by 2012. The is 50.74%t, Rohtas 45.32% and Aurangabads coverage rate is indiatimes.com/2011-04-23/
present pace of work on this Patna 50.56%. 24.14% and will achieve the india/29465910_1_tsc-districts-
programme suggests that the task Twelve districts are expected to target by 2077. Darbhanga, defecation-free

Umerkot littered with heaps of garbage

From the Newspaper By A.B.Arisar 15th April, 2011
UMERKOT, April 14: Shabby roads, intentions of keeping all powers with Financial constraints were not letting the
heaps of garbage strewn at every nook them instead of devolving these at the ruling parties to conduct LG elections in
and corner and rundown water and grassroots level. He agreed that some their provinces.
sewerage system are popular sights powers were misused during the LG rule A local writer, Amjad Mehdrani
of Umerkot, the gateway to Thar and and local laws could not be implemented condemned the LG system as it failed in
an international border connecting fully which developed a negative concept coming up to the expectations of people.
Pakistan with India. towards the system. He contended that union council nazims
Ruptured pipelines and overflowing Delay in local elections has stalled were elected by the votes of people but
gutters is an everyday sight. These the development process of democratic taluka and district nazims were imposed.
conditions exist despite an unspent leadership giving rise to bad governance. They were the implementers belonging
amount of Rs160 million was lying It is also true that some nazims followed to corrupt politics and in the habit of
in the account of administrator of the policy of favouritism and nepotism committing blunders though receiving
Umerkot taluka. The local government even then the system was good because enough of funds in yearly budgets.
(LG) system though had flaws but was elected representatives could be easily The town is being supplied
thousand times better than the present approached. However, now, public contaminated water after remaining
one, said saner elements of the society. can`t put their cases before ministers, parched for 10 days but no one has
Funds can be spent on beautification MNAs and MPAs as they mostly remain raised a voice over it, he said. It is bereft
and other development work after the in Islamabad or Karachi, he said of chlorination and filtration and what
consent of local MNAs and MPAs, said adding that whenever they visit their to say of condition persisting in union
TMO/taluka administrator Umerkot constituencies there`s already a hoard councils and villages.
town. Faulty sanitary conditions were of applicants and public woes remain A representative of Free and Fair
giving rise to cases of gastroenteritis and wherever these are. Election Network Yunus Bandhani
other water-borne diseases. He said that women were given a explained that the LG system had
Former UC-II Nazim Muhammad representation in the LG system and become a provincial subject under the
Ramzan Rajar appreciated the they strived for resolution of problems 18th Amendment and the government
compatible system of governance during of their respective areas. Now, not a wanted to hold elections through revenue
the LG rule and blamed some officials single woman had been incorporated and local government ministry. However,
in bureaucracy of disbanding it with the even in district development committee. it agreed to conduct LG polls under the

59
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) nazim system and PPP`s to revert to old required 300. Funds can be utilised on
after coming under pressure. commission rate system had delayed the receiving proposed schemes and work
He quoted an ECP official saying that process, he said. from local MPAs and MNAs.
the Commission demanded a hefty sum TMO/ taluka administrator Abdul Provincial Minister Syed Ali Mardan
for LG elections but the cash-strapped Jalil when questioned about the Shah said that the MPAs and the MNAs
government refused and now it was sanitation, water and sewerage and non- had proposed the schemes to the TMA
clear the polls were unlikely to be held utilisation of Rs160 million, replied and now it was up to them to start work.
in the coming year, even if provincial that the TMA was facing staff shortage,
governments agree to set aside their including sanitary staff, drivers, http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/15/
political differences. plumbers, fire fighters and others. He umerkot-littered-with-heaps-of-garbage.
The demand of MQM to retain had only 116 staffers as against the html

Silent sanitation crisis in South Asia

Governance systems fail in the bid
Added At: 2011-05-02 10:59 PM
MUSTAFA TALPUR have made a range of political yet to be decided against which centered approach was recognised
and financial commitments, information collected provides as sanitation is not just building
Around 716 million people in including adopting people centred, the guide for better decision- toilets but it is the use of facilities
South Asia, out of the 1.027 community-led, and gender-sensitive making. Improving sanitation as well as behavioural change.
billion, practice open defecation and demand driven approach, information system to avoid any Centrally designed and delivered
and are exposed to severe safety elimination of open defecation and statistical discrepancies is also an programmes run a risk of remaining
and health risks as well as adding other unhygienic practices. essential element of strengthening non-functional and lack of
to environmental pollution. No doubt, this eight-year monitoring and accountability. ownership by the community, and
Women and children bear the drive by SACOSAN to turn the Due to the unavailability of clearly thereby unsustainability. Giving
major burnt of this crisis. About trend and achieve Millennium defined national performance real meaning to participation is
500,000 children die every year Development Goals (MDGs) monitoring mechanism, keeping still an area which requires urgent
due to disease related to poor has achieved several successes track of the difference between action for going beyond words to
sanitation and hygiene, and many including recognition of access building and use of services is meaning. This calls for a revamping
more fall seriously ill, compromising to safe drinking water and quite difficult, so is the difficulty of the institutional mechanism that
their future potential and sanitation as a basic right, raising in sustaining the services without will allow for proactive community
overburdening the health services. sanitation profile at the regional robust monitoring and clearly- participation.
In addition to death and disease level, formulation of national defined operation and maintenance Total sanitation has been
burden, and its subsequent costs policies, strategies and plans, roles and responsibilities. delayed in South Asia by a lack
on the national economy, poor increase in sanitation coverage, Prioritising sanitation, including of focus on human-centred
sanitation is polluting environment broadening partnership. However, increasing the finances for sanitation development, and particularly
and compromising dignity-the very there are several critical areas and their better utilisation, has on people-centred sanitation
essence of human beings. committed above but have gained recognition. There has been programmes.
To address this challenge not been really translated into some increase in sector financing, Improved governance is
and find collective solution of concrete actions. This indicates but in comparison to other social central to address the challenge.
these undignified conditions, the failure of the governance sectors and magnitude of crisis, it is The South Asian people want to
countries in South Asia gathered system, its responsiveness to the still inadequate. see a governance system where
in Bangladesh in 2003, under peoples demand and a system Better coordination, broad- decisions are informed by evidence
the umbrella of South Asian accountable to the people. based alliance and partnership and institutions, and decision
Conference on Sanitation. In the With the current rate of and clear institutional makers connect to the people,
last eight years, hundreds of high progress, the sanitation MDGs mechanisms are the other areas where information flows freely,
government officials, relevant will not be achieved until 2028 repeatedly promised. Better the poor get response, and justice
ministers, sector actors and civil too little and too late. Following institutional arrangement, which and equity are made values. If
society met three times in Dhaka, are the important governance is able to coordinate the function these governance principles are
Islamabad and Delhi in 2003, challenges if addressed might and build a broad-based alliance followed, it may offer a better
2006 and 2008 respectively to expedite the progress and lift for sanitation movement, and future for the South Asian children.
find a common solution. This millions of South Asians from programming is central to success.
Talpur is Regional Advocacy
year more than 400 people from undignified conditions and put Despite the commitments and
Manager, WaterAid South Asia
across South Asia met in Colombo them on the path of development, institutional importance, countries
to review the sanitation situation poverty reduction and prosperity. in the region are still struggling to http://thehimalayantimes.com/
and progress made against Despite political commitment determine the clear institutional fullNews.php?headline=Silent+s
previous commitments. for establishing performance home of sanitation. anitation+crisis+in+South+Asia
Three previous conferences monitoring system, indicators are In very first SACOSAN, people- +&NewsID=286395

60
 Govt may levy water tax
Arun Kumar, TNN Aug 31, 2011, 03.40pm IST

PATNA: The state government is water and sanitation issues in urban occasion too, the PHED minister, in
considering a proposal to levy water areas of several districts of the state his speech, had mentioned about the
tax on users. Public Health Engineering with the purpose of ensuring access proposal to levy water tax. In course
Department (PHED) minister to sustainable water and sanitation of the daylong discussion, the issue of
Chandramohan Rai on Wednesday services to urban poor, said that he water tax figured. But there were two
said that with a view to checking the had organised a daylong discussion opinions on it. A sizeable section was
misuse of water, the proposal is being on the state governments Drinking against levying water tax, whereas
discussed at the department level. Water and Sanitation Policy on another section was in favour of a
He, however, categorically said that August 29 to make the state policy balanced approach to it.
interests of the vulnerable sections of more people-friendly, responsive and Even those who were in support of
society dalits, mahadalits and slum comprehensive for addressing the water tax wanted it to be executed with
dwellers will be protected and future challenges in the state. a rider. Those in favour said that water
they will be exempted from paying The discussion was attended tax should be levied only in urban
water tax. In the proposed Drinking by people working on water and areas, not in rural areas. Besides, high
Water and Sanitation policy of the sanitation issues, academics, tax should be imposed on water used
state government, there is a provision social activists, subject experts for industrial purposes.
for financial sustainability of the safe and representatives of civil society
drinking water supply projects, Rai organisations besides PHED minister http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.
said. Rai and Magsaysay awardee water com/2011-08-31/patna/29949052_1_
Ranjan Kumar, who works on activist Rajendra Singh. On this water-tax-phed-sanitation-policy

48 million of us poop in the open?!

AMAR GURIRO Saturday, 19 Nov 2011
KARACHI For around 48 million Millennium Development Goal to have access to sanitation than the
Pakistani citizens basic toilet access (MDG), Pakistan is committed to rich. The governments should tackle
is a distant dream and they defecate supply 93 percent and 64 percent of its this inequity through better targeting
under the open skies, according to the population with safe water and adequate of water and sanitation resources and
WaterAid a UK-based charity working sanitation, respectively. As yet, only 45 services to the poor.
in 27 countries across the globe to percent people have access to improved In a statement, the WaterAids country
transform lives by improving access to sanitation facilities in Pakistan and at representative in Pakistan, Siddiq Khan,
safe water, hygiene and sanitation. the current rate, the water target will be said that every year thousands of children
This was disclosed in a report released missed at least by seven years [by 2022] die in Pakistan due to a lack of adequate
on Friday the eve of World Toilet and the sanitation target by 13 years [by sanitation and clean water.
Day by WaterAid in Pakistan titled 2028], it is claimed in the report. This is the true cost that we bear
Off-track, off-target: Why investment The off-track nations in South Asia from our failure to ensure basic water
in water, sanitation and hygiene is not should spend at least one percent of their and sanitation services, stated Khan.
reaching those who need it most. gross domestic products on providing The government must demonstrate
World Toilet Day 2011 will be sanitation services and the donor political and institutional leadership in
observed globally today (Saturday), with countries should double the global aid carrying out its responsibilities at federal
over 51 events being hosted by various for water, sanitation and hygiene by and provincial levels.
water and sanitation advocates in 19 prioritising an additional US$10 billion We must increase the level of
countries. The WaterAid in Pakistan per year. spending on water and sanitation and
report also reveals that 97,900 people If the Pakistani government does not with the donors increasing their share
die annually in Pakistan due to unsafe take urgent action, the country will fail of aid we can work together to turn
water and improper sanitation. to meet the MDG pledge it made to this situation around, the WaterAid
Quoting official data from World halve the proportion of people without representative said.
Health Organisation (WHO) and sanitation by 2015, and this will have
Pakistan Today: http://www.
UNICEF, it is stated in the report that massive consequences for child mortality.
pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/11/48-
54,000 children under the age of five die According to WaterAid, the poorest
million-of-us-poop-in-the-open/
from diarrhoea every year in Pakistan. people in South Asia are being left
By the year 2015, under the behind and are 13 times less likely

61
Written by: Chandani Jayatilleke

62
 One down, more to go
More work needs to be done to improve and expand safe drinking water and other sanitation facilities

By Aoun Sahi He calls upon the federal gross domestic product (GDP).
and provincial governments to The problem is prevalent in
Pakistan, among other countries, prepare a programme to target underdeveloped urban areas
has achieved one of the un-served and excluded people and a majority of rural areas of
Millennium Development Goals and fulfill commitments made at the country as 72 percent urban
(MDGs) of reducing in half the the 2011 South Asian Conference population has reach to improved
number of its population without on Sanitation (SACOSAN). sanitation while the number is
access to safe drinking water. Hafeez informs that new only 34 percent for rural areas.
That has happened five years figures have revealed that South Pakistan will be attending the
ahead of the 2015 target. Asia as a region is facing an Sanitation and Water for All
A report issued by the even more daunting challenge (SWA) High Level Meeting next
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring in sanitation. The target for month to take stock of progress
Programme (JMP) for Water providing access to sanitation, made since 2010 in the sector.
Supply and Sanitation last week which is even more crucial Pakistan needs to spend more
says that over 2 billion people in tackling killer diseases in on sanitation from domestic
gained access to safe drinking will increase to just 67 per cent developing countries, is one of resources and politically prioritise
water between 1990 and 2010, by 2015, well below the 75 per the most off track of all the MDG sanitation in development
which means 89 percent of the cent required to reach the target. targets. Over a billion people programmes.
worlds population has access Globally, it is predicted, the MDG in South Asia do not yet have Experts believe that there is
to safe water source by end of target on sanitation would not be access and the region has the discrimination in Pakistan with
2010. reached until 2026. The situation highest proportion of people regard to budget allocations
It is one percent more than in Pakistan even worse, (67 percent or 690 million) still for sanitation schemes and
the goal of 88 percent set at the Pakistans sanitation target practicing open defecation. municipal services in urban
UN Millennium Summit in 2000. under MDGs is 67 percent and Despite several and rural areas. More than 85
According to JMP, Pakistan has currently only 48 percent people commitments, he says, South percent of sanitation and solid
achieved the target of providing are using improved sanitation. Asia is lagging behind other waste management budget is
safe drinking water source to 92 Progress to achieve sanitation regions in sanitation. This is used in big cities says Nazir
percent of its population by the targets in the last two years has an affront to citizens rights. Wattoo, Chairman Anjuman
end of 2010 while the target is been very slow in Pakistan with We need a better monitoring Samaji Behbood, Faisalabad
to provide facility to 93 percent only 1.5 percent increase per mechanism to improve sector and member Water and
by 2015. year. With this rate of progress governance and bring the Sanitation Committee of Punjab
The target is achievable it will take more than ten years required accountability to ensure government.
though there are still some areas to achieve MDGs and 34 years that programmes and policies Wattoo says the problem is in
that need to be looked further to provide access to 100 percent are delivering and governments the mindset of our policy makers
into. News that the world has population. In Pakistan, 14 are reaching people with the who hardly consider sanitation
met the MDG target on water million people still do not have greatest need. We are calling for and solid waste management
is a great encouragement. Good access to safe drinking water effective regional cooperation to as an issue of rural areas. Have
progress has been made on water and over 90 million are without address this challenge through you ever heard about a national
in Pakistan, yet sustaining the improved sanitation. governments targeting the un- emergency for sanitation for all in
water services and monitoring The state of sanitation is of served and proactively engaging Pakistan though there are some
quality are the greater challenges even greater concern. It is highly in the existing regional and for safe drinking water for all like
in Pakistan, says Abdul Hafeez, unacceptable that 40 million global mechanisms, such as installment of water filtration
manager advocacy WaterAid, people nearly one fourth of the SAARC, SACOSAN and (SWA). plants all over the country? We
an international NGO dedicated population in Pakistan practice Pakistan has been bearing a need to change our mindset
exclusively to the provision of open defecation which is a huge cost due to lack of improved and make sanitation a top
safe drinking water, sanitation violation of their right to live with sanitation facilities. According to priority, otherwise diseases like
and hygiene education, Pakistan. dignity, he says, adding, We WHO, 52000 children die annually diarrhoea and polio can never
This is a huge achievement are calling on the government due to diarrhoea in Pakistan. be controlled, he says, adding,
for the world but it is only the of Pakistan to strengthen The World Bank Strategic this is time for authorities to
beginning and still there is a lot and clarify institutional roles Environmental Assessment for rethink policies as after the
of work to do to achieve the for implementing sanitation Pakistan estimates the total 18th Amendment the issue has
MDG on sanitation which the programmes, expedite reform healthcare cost of diarrhoea become provincial.
world is still far from meeting. process at provincial level to and typhoid, both water and
According to report only 63 prepare time bound action plan sanitation related diseases, to be http://jang.com.pk/thenews/
per cent of the world now has to translate policies into real Rs112 billion (US$1.33 billion), mar2012-weekly/nos-11-03-
basic sanitation and the figure actions. or 1.8 percent of the countrys 2012/pol1.htm#4

63
http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Water%26sbquo%3B+sanitation+a+far+cry&NewsID=323578

Stinking toilets await govt remedy

2011-07-20

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The condition of one toilet for around 45,000 people. The report also showed that more
public toilets in the Kathmandu Valley is The government operates 16 public than 60 per cent of the toilets rely
deteriorating day by day due to the lack of but not a single toilet has been made on ground water, while 25 per cent
regular maintenance, a study has found. accessible to children and the physically purchase tanker water and 10 per cent
The study titled Condition of Public challenged. depend upon city supply. Rajaram
Toilets in Kathmandu2010 reported Raj Kumar Sapkota, caretaker of Karmacharya, community mobiliser
that the lack of a monitoring mechanism a toilet in front of Bir Hospital, said at KMCs environment management
is responsible for dreadful condition of they pay around Rs 62,500 per month department, said the number of public
the public toilets. The study, conducted to the contractor, who is authorised by toilets has not increased as per the
by Urban Dabali, further said inadequacy the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to increase in population.
of water is also a common problem for operate the toilet. We earn around Rs
these public toilets. 3,000 a day, he said. Although we have (http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/
In the valley, around 33 public toilets been asking the contractor to maintain a fullNews.php?headline=Stinking++
(including those in business complexes) roof and a sink, he is reluctant to do so, toilets+await+govt+remedy&News
serve around 15 lakh urban dwellers Sapkota added. ID=296326)

64
500 VDCs to be open defecation free zones
2012-02-15
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

By Pragati Shahi meet the targets of the Millennium According to reports compiled
Development Goals and the national by the government and partner
KATHMANDU: The Department of initiative to ensure universal access organisations, in 2010, only 43 per
Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS) to water and sanitation, said Thakur cent of the population had access to
is working to declare 500 VDCs as Prasad Pandit, senior civil engineer at basic sanitation in Nepal and more 53
Open Defecation Free (ODF) areas this Environment Sanitation and Disaster per cent defecated in the open.
year. Management Section.
The department has already Although only 260 out of 3,000 (http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/
declared 265 VDCs and five VDC have been declared ODF zones, fullNews.php?headline=500+VDCs+t
municipalities ODF zones, an official people are becoming more aware o+be+open+defecation+free+zones&
at the department said today. about sanitation and safe drinking NewsID=320579)
The government is working to water, said Pandit.

Mega sanitation plan to ensure clean Nepal

KATHMANDU, AUG 06

By Pragati Shahi commitment to its sanitation strengthened institutional said the declaration of ODF areas
endeavours. Nepal needs an arrangements, adequate and adoption of total sanitation
To meet the national target annual investment of Rs 7.5 resources and stakeholders approach across the country
of universal access to basic billion to enable universal access collaborative efforts to achieve particularly in rural parts is the
sanitation facilities (access to to basic water and sanitation national goal of universal toilet plans important aspect. Under
toilets) by 2017, the government facilities by 2017, according to coverage by 2017. the plan, village development
has approved the ambitious government data. Implementation of the plan is committee and municipalities
Sanitation and Hygiene Master Despite gradual achievements timely and important at this point have been identified as basic
Plan (2010-2017) after more than in sanitation 57 percent of the of time, according to experts, units of sanitation planning and
three years of its recognition in countrys population lacks access who state that the launch of emphasis has been given at the
the countrys national plan in to toilets, said Nanda Bahadur Global Sanitation Fund in 2010 local level for strategic plans on
2008. Khanal, senior divisional and which is to be managed by sanitation. The endorsement
Approved this week, it engineer at the Ministry of UN-HABITAT for the next five of the master plan is timely and
will be vital in enabling the Physical Planning and Works years will play an instrumental appropriate at a time when
environment for institutional and (MoPPWs). role in speeding up programmes the country is working to meet
financial mechanisms to meet Khanal said the master plan and activities envisioned by the the sanitation MDG target and
the Millennium Development envisages four sequential steps Sanitation and Hygiene Master national target of universal
Goal and national targets in for promoting hygiene and Plan. access to sanitation by year
sanitation. To meet the sanitation sanitation institution building, A total of US $ 5 million is 2017, Tuladhar said.
MDG, Nepal has to achieve at planning and programming; committed under GSF to help
least 53 percent toilet coverage Open Defecation Free (ODF) the country implement the plan, http://www.ekantipur.com/the-
by 2015. The present coverage campaigning, behaviour change increase sanitation coverage kathmandu-post/2011/08/06/
stands at around 43 percent. The and post ODF campaigning (total and strengthen concerned top-story/mega-sanitation-plan-
master plan is formulated by the sanitation). stakeholders including civil to-ensure-clean-nepal/224874.
National Steering Committee for The trend of toilet coverage society, local administration and html
National Sanitation Action to indicates Nepal will attain the the private sector, among others.
expedite sanitation promotion MDG but it needs pragmatic Bhusan Tuladhar, UN-
and demonstrate Nepals vision, operational strategies, HABITAT chief technical advisor,

65
 District at a time
By Pragati Shahi collective effort in increasing awareness percent success rate at providing basic
on basic sanitation and against open health and sanitation in the district by
The government has recently come up defecation among the rural households. 2017. If this happens, Dailekh will be
with a five-year plan to restrict open A good example was set in Dailekh, declared the first ODF district in the
defecation in the country. In an attempt one among the aforementioned 13 country.
to raise awareness on the importance of districts. Dailekh alone witnessed 43 Health experts say washing hands
sanitation and support the poor families deaths and was home to scores of patients with soap and drinking safe water are
in rural parts to adopt sanitary practices, in 2009; the number of casualties due to the most effective and cheapest ways
the Ministry of Physical Planning and diarrhoea was minimised to four this year. to control communicable diseases.
Works (MoPPW) has decided to launch At the joint initiative of government and The chance of contracting water-borne
a five-year plan against open defecation non-governmental organisations over 35 communicable diseases varies between
in 200 village development committees wards, including the badly-hit Lakuri 50-85 percent, depending on the level
and five municipalities. VDC, were declared Open Defecation of awareness on personal hygiene, safe
According to the government, the Free (ODF) area in Dailekh. drinking water and sanitation.
project is the first of its kind in the Under one-fourths of all households Although 148,000 toilets are
country with the District Development in the Mid-West have toilets, a report of constructed in the country annually,
Committees, VDCs and municipals be the regional monitoring and supervision only 10 per cent of the poor have access
selected to execute it. office under the Department of Water to one. There is a wide gap between
Funding for the project does not Supply and Sewerage reveals. It pinpoints urban and rural areas. Generally, health
seem to be a big problem as the Global lack of toilet facilities as the main reason receives lower priority in rural areas
Sanitation Fund (GSF) set up by the behind frequent epidemics. and there are inadequate resources for
United Nations Office for Project According to SUDECC, a local sanitation and hygiene. As much as 54
Support (UNOPS) and Water Supply organisation working with Oxfam in percent of the population still defecates
and Sanitation Collaborative Council the field of water, sanitation and hygiene out in the open; 13,000 children under
(WSSCC) will provide Nepal US $5 in the district, female health workers the age of five die annually because of
million to raise awareness on sanitation have been mobilised in remote villages waterborne diseases like diarrhoea and
and support the very poor families to to spread awareness about four basics cholera.
adopt sanitary methods. GSF works on of personal hygiene and sanitation According to the World Health
a global scale, and runs projects in more hand washing, defecation practice, Organisation, 1.6 million people die
than half-a-dozen countries in Asia and water purification and oral rehydration every year from diarrhoea-related
Africa. solution preparation. diseases (including cholera) attributable
The government initiative is a Devendra Kumar Jha, coordinator to lack of access to safe drinking water
milestone in creating awareness about of WASH (Water and Sanitation for and basic sanitation; 90 percent of the
basic sanitation and personal hygiene Health) cluster working in the district, dead are children under five, mostly in
among the poorest families who have says many rural villages are faring well developing countries. Around 2.4 billion
neither access nor have resources to in personal hygiene and sanitation. The people globally (the majority of them in
control the outbreak of communicable sanitation programme helped the locals Asia and Africa) do not have access to
diseases that takes lives of dozens of construct toilets as well as making them basic sanitation.
people every year. aware of the dangers of open defecation. For a country that witnesses dozens
In 2009, the diarrhoea outbreak Meanwhile, the locals of the district of deaths due to poor sanitation, lack
resulting from impure water supply and are practicing the use of soap while of awareness and inadequate access to
poor sanitation in 13 districts in the washing their hands, using chlorine- safe drinking water, promoting simple
Far-Western and Mid-Western regions treated water and making the locals habits of hand-washing, using toilets
took 367 lives and affected more than aware of the importance of toilets and providing people with access to
64,000 people.( The main reason for the initiatives which have been highly safe drinking water are among the best
this preventable tragedy being lack of appreciated even in the remotest parts of methods to water-borne diseases every
access to proper toilet and basic sanitary the country. summer.
facilities.) In developed countries, a Dailekh has recently endorsed a five-
toilet is a basic facility in every type year sanitation plan which has been (Shahi is a reporter on environmental
of accommodation while in poor approved by the local communities, issues with the Post)
developing countries like Nepal, it is local government authorities, local
common for a rural household to have development authorities, representatives http://www.ekantipur.
no toilet. of political parties and different national com/2010/11/21/oped/district-at-a-
The scale of the 2009 outbreak was and international organisations working time/325357/
not repeated this summer, thanks to the in this sector. The plan aims at 100

66
 India gets more funds for sanitation
By Alka Pande, Lucknow, Mar 19 India, more than 808 million people are experiences indicate that hiking
The Indian government has hiked its without improved sanitation. budgets alone is not enough as issues
budget for water and sanitation this Of the 2.5 billion living without like utilisation of funds, quality of
year. The water sector has seen a 27 adequate sanitation globally, 32 per construction, lack of water and usage
per cent hike as the allocations have cent live in India. Open defecation pose serious challenges.
gone up to Rs 14,000 crore from Rs remains a considerable challenge with She underlined the need for
11,000 crore last year. India, which is home to 60 per cent considerable efforts to ensure that
On the other hand, sanitation sector of the global population [620 million the funds are well spent. No longer
has seen a 133 per cent jump as the people] practicing open defecation. can we afford to let people, especially
allocations to go in the sector have The latest census [2011] data too children die of waterborne disease,
been hiked to Rs 3,500 crore. The established that at least 53 per cent she added.
last year budget for sanitation was Rs people in India do not have toilets. WaterAid has appealed that along
1,500 crore. The sanitation coverage that the with a high allocation, the government
The move has been unanimously country has achieved in last decade should also prepare a programme to
welcomed by all working in the water has failed to reach the bottom 40 target un-served and excluded people
and sanitation sector and concerned per cent of the population, which is and fulfill commitments made at the
about the lack of facilities for poor and the lowest income groups and which 2011 South Asian Conference on
marginalised. remains most excluded. Sanitation (SACOSAN) and the 2010
It is a welcome move by the This is a great concern in India to Sanitation and Water for All High Level
government and increasing the achieve equity in providing sanitation Meeting (SWA).
allocation implies that sanitation services and include all the groups. Following the decision taken in the
has finally become a priority for the While presenting the budget, Prime Ministers National Council on
government, commented R Murali, even Indian finance minister Indias Nutritional Challenges, a multi-
the Regional Convenor of Freshwater Pranab Mukherjee indicated that sector programme to address maternal
Action Network South Asia [FANSA] the government would intervene and child malnutrition in selected 200
a network of grassroots Civil Society decisively to address the problem of high burden districts is being rolled out
Organisations working on water and malnutrition especially in the 200 high- during 2012-13.
sanitation in South Asian nations. burden districts of the country. It will harness synergies across
Incidentally, the Indian budget Along with water quality, poor nutrition, sanitation, drinking water,
has come immediately after the sanitation is one of the factors primary health care, women education,
Joint Monitoring Programme Report contributing to malnourishment, the food security and consumer protection
[UNICEF and WHO] and the Indian minister had admitted. schemes. (IBNS)
Census 2011 report. Both the reports However, commenting on the
presented a dirty picture of sanitation budget hike Dr Indira Khurana, h t t p : / / w w w. n e w k e r a l a . c o m /
status in the country. Director Policy, WaterAid said, Hike news/2011/worldnews-174753.html
The JMP report mentioned that In in the budget is good news but past

67
 Hungry but not thirsty
POSTED BY WASHMEDIA-SOUTH ASIA | JULY 19, 2011 | LEAVE A COMMENT

By Alka Pande Lucknow, July 18 for a politician of his stature albeit who is also a cabinet minister for
(IBNS) his argument to go before the public the ministry of Rural Development.
was ; There is no question of Since Ramesh has established his
Having been a member of many disappointment as drinking water credentials as a climate crusader whilst
Parliamentary Committees on and sanitation are important issues heading the Ministry of Environment in
various important issues, Gurudas concerning a large section of the society. the past and therefore his appointment
Kamats political career is a long The reasons are totally personal. has given a reason to a few to heave a
roster studded with achievements, Politically the issue may have got sigh of relief.
not the least of which is representing subsided but the social workers and It is fortunate for the ministry and
India in Kashmir and Human Rights environmentalists all across India have also for the common people. With
issue at the United Nations taken a dig at Kamat for refusing the post. multinationals eyeing water resources
This is how the official website Water and sanitation are the most and majority of population still waiting
of a senior Congress leader important aspects of the communities to be covered under sanitation the issues
Gurudas Kamat describes him. and for the uplift of the rural population require sincere attention and immediate
Unfortunately, this dynamic Indian of India but for our politicians it action. Keeping in view the earlier
leader did not understand the dynamism is the priority, says Sanjay Singh track record of Ramesh, we can expect
of sensitive issues like water and sanitation a social activist from the parched some good decision from his side, says
and refused to head the Ministry Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. researcher and analyst Yogesh Bandhu.
of Drinking water and Sanitation. The politicians in India are hungry for However, there are different views and
`It is really unfortunate that the minister power but they do not have the thirst concerns as well. As the evidence go,
who was put in charge of this portfolio to serve their own people, who have Ramesh has been an active minister
did not realise the opportunity that was brought them to power, Singh adds. and Rural Development is the most
offered to him which would have given Presently, rural drinking water coverage time and energy consuming ministry
him an opportunity to serve the rural in India is around 70 per cent whereas of the nation. Immediately after taking
citizens of India. This is a country where the investments are to tune of about over, the minister has already sounded a
even today giving water to a thirsty 35,000 crore Rupees. thorough review of the National Rural
person is considered a punya ka kaam Similarly, rural sanitation coverage Employment Guarantee scheme besides
(deed of blessings), said a representative at individual household level is around completing the survey of families living
of an International agency working 64 per cent and the government has below the poverty line. In such a situation
on issues of water and sanitation. so far invested somewhere around he will not be able to devote the time
Indian government keeping up its words 20,000 crore under its Total Sanitation required for the critical issues like water
given at various platforms, including Campaign. Yet Kamat found the job and sanitation. A separate minister to
that of the United Nations, (UN has too small. At a time when water is deal with these issues is quintessential,
recognised water and sanitation as human already starting to decide political says Panda, the environmentalist.
rights) recently set up a separate ministry equations world over, considering water The challenges Ramesh is set to
for Drinking water and sanitation. as an unimportant subject is rather face are to ensure sustained supply of
Earlier, it used to be a department under unfortunate, Says Ranjan Panda, the drinking water and functional sanitation
the Ministry of Rural Development. environmentalist from Odisha. He says systems in the country, especially in the
Last week, reshuffling the cabinet the that India is already in a state of water rural areas. India is facing the problem
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh crisis and providing drinking water, of water scarcity, which is topped with
chose Gurudas Kamat to head the which is a fundamental right for the contamination. According to World
ministry of Water and Sanitation citizens of the nation, is already proving Bank statistics, open defecation is
as Minister for State (Independent to be a Herculean task. Quitting by the another big challenge before the nation,
charge). However, Kamat requested minister is highly condemnable. which is losing 6 per cent of its GDP
the PM to relieve him of the duty. The government has eventually every year due to lost productivity
The rumour was that Kamat found the handed over the ministry (as
portfolio too small and unimportant additional charge) to Jairam Ramesh,

68
 6 Best practice
Stories by WASH Media South Asia forum also highlighted innovation and best practices in water and
sanitation, from rainwater harvesting in Pakistan and Bangladesh to newly declared open defecation free (ODF)
districts of Nepal highlighting the joint responsibility of individuals, communities and the state in promoting
total sanitation, safe water and hygiene.
Journalist reporting on issues of water and sanitation, often competing with busy and conflicting news agendas,
are in themselves contributing to vital levels of awareness and commitments-tracking across the South Asia
region.

Tamachi, a resident of Raablaoo village located in Sanghar districts Achhro Thar, or White Desert area, is
trying to fix a broken rope so that he can get water from the well. The vast desert that is spread along the
Indian border is facing acute water shortage and people there usually consume underground water from the
wells. Photo: Amar Guriro.

69
 Rainwater harvesting in parched Tharparkar
7th March, 2011
Inpaper Magazine By Saleem Shaikh 7th March, 2011

THE Tharparkar district livestock rearing.

receives on an average 100mm Mukesh Suther, an Umerkot-
rain every year, which should based rainwater conservation
be sufficient for its drinking expert, remarked that building
and agriculture purposes. But large ponds and laying a geo-
much of it goes waste due to membrane sheet under these
lack of rainwater harvesting (ponds) to stop seepage and
and poor water conservation covering them with roofs can be
facilities. of great help in slowing down
During August last year evaporation of stored rain water
heavy rains in the Thar Desert during the sizzling summer
recharged parched shallow wells, days.
raised water table in deep wells around one trillion litres of rain the day including at nights. He said the government
and filled household cisterns. annually sufficient, if stored, However, rains in Thar should introduce these low-cost
But, after four months, the Tharis for three years to meet domestic invigorate socio-economic techniques to harvest huge stocks
were without sufficient water water needs of the Tharis and activities as people start of water, which can help meet
even for drinking, and many had their livestock. But, more than cultivating crops, bringing needs of the people throughout
to walk miles to fetch water. 95 per cent of it is lost under back their livestock in herds the year rather than spending
Herdsmen had to take their sand dunes or evaporates from barrage areas and storing millions of rupees on schemes,
livestock to barrage areas to in the sizzling summer due rainwater as much as possible. which have huge recurring costs
avoid mortality among them due to inadequate storage and Usually Tharis prepare their for maintenances.
to water shortage. rainwater harvesting facilities. fields every year much before the Water conservation experts
When it rained heavily, Even if 0.25 per cent of rainy season starts by ploughing of PCRWR have suggested that
it turned our dusty and arid the rainwater is conserved and broadcasting seeds of piped roof water harvesting,
villages in the district into an or harvested, it can meet the millet (bajhri), cluster bean hamlet level chonra pond, hamlet
oasis with lush green foliage and domestic water needs of the (guar), sesame (tir), kidney bean level nadi pond, chalho pond
plenty of water to drink and take entire human population and (mooth), cow peas (Choonra), and dug well recharging system
bath. It also turned our dried-up livestock of the area, said water musk melon (gidro), water melon could help conserve huge stock
rangeland into green meadows conservation experts of the (hindano), squash melon (meho), of rainwater. But, introduction
and pastures for our cattle. PCRWR. wild cucumber (chibbhar), and promotion of such water
But the accumulated rainwater The councils` study found amaranths (mariro), digeria conservation techniques was
evaporated within a few months out that hardly 0.06 per cent of (lular) and other wild plants. The not possible without one time
and we had to walk for 4-5 miles the overall annual rain water is land in Thar is so fertile that once investment by the government.
thrice a week to fetch water harvested by Tharis in household the ploughed fields receive the A senior official in the water
from deep wells. Water of such cisterns or in other indigenous first shower, they turn green. section of the Sindh Planning and
wells is brackish, contaminated ways. However, the study Prior to the rains, the Development (P&D) Department
and injurious to both humans` suggests that the water shortage Tharis also clean ditches and said: Although no initiative for
and animals` health, said Ali problem can be addressed by depressions locally known as rainwater harvesting in Thar
Akbar Rahimo of the Association improving capacity of rainwater Tal and Tarayoon for storing has ever been launched by the
for Water, Applied Education harvest by scaling it up from 0.06 rainwater. provincial government, multi-
and Renewable Energy in per cent to at least 0.25 per cent This water is used both for million rupees schemes for
Nagarparkar. of the rainfall. domestic and drinking purposes. tapping rainwater in the desert
Thar normally experiences The Tharparkar district, spread But, the accumulated rainwater area are now under consideration
drought every third year and over nearly 22,000 square in these ditches and depressions of the department`s planners.
famine after each decade, kilometres, is a chronically poor lasts only for three to four There is possibility that such
triggering mass migration of with an estimated population of months. And for the rest of the schemes may be included in the
peasants to irrigated areas in 1.2-1.3 million. Of them, 95 per eight months of the year, they next year`s Annual Development
lower and central Sindh in search cent people live in and around depend on brackish water of Programme (ADP).
of fodder, labour and water. A 2,000 villages. wells, which results in health
large number of cattle also die In a normal day, members of hazards among humans and http://www.dawn.
during such arduous journeys. each household spends around livestock. Often the outbreak com/2011/03/07/rainwater-
According to a study of the 4-6 hours in fetching 4-5 pots of diseases among livestock harvesting-in-parched-
Pakistan Council for Research (50-60 litters) of water from wells deepens poverty situation in tharparkar.html
on Water Resources (PCRWR), However during the dry season Thar manifold, as livelihood of
the entire Thar Desert receives they collect water throughout the poor 70 per cent depends on

70
 Kaski to be first open defecation free district
By Pragati Shahi Committee. other cleanliness campaigns.
Rallies from all over the lake city will Meanwhile, other districts in
KATHMANDU, JUN 22 Marking a congregate to be the largest gathering the region set to be declared open
step towards achieving the national ever in Nepal of people washing hands defecation free include Chitwan,
goal of universal access to safe with soap to mark the programme on Tanahun and Nawalparasi.
drinking water and sanitation by 2017, Friday. According to the government
Kaski in the Western Development As its Millennium Development statistics, 43 and 80 percent people
Region will be formally declared the Goals, the United Nations aims to have access to basic sanitation
first open defecation free (ODF) district provide basic sanitation and drinking and drinking water in the country,
in the country on Friday. water services to 53 and 73 percent respectively, while the equity and
Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal people, respectively, by 2015. access to quality amenities is still far
will make the announcement at According to Namaste Lal Shrestha, from satisfactory. Out of 3,915 VDCs
a programme organised by the sanitation specialist at Unicef, in the country, 203 have been declared
District Development Committee the major drivers for the positive ODF so far.
(DDC), Kaski, on June 24. According change in the district are an increase Meanwhile, a report on status of
to Guru Prasad Subedi, local in awareness level among local basic drinking water and sanitation
development officer, Kaski, 43 Village communities on personal hygiene, facilities compiled by WaterAid in
Development Committees, Pokhara sanitation and education as well as Nepal in March 2011 put Kaski on
Sub-metropolitan City and Lekhnath building toilets. Kaski is one of the top in a list of 72 districts in terms of
municipality will be declared ODF major tourist destinations in the country providing access to these amenities.
with each household having access and this also helped the government, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur
to toilets for personal hygiene and non-government organisations and have not been included in the list.
sanitation. On May 31 last year, the local communities to work for the In Kaski, access to basic sanitation
DDC had declared Kaski as an ODF betterment of environment in the area, and drinking water was found, by
district. said Bipin Poudel, environment officer, the agency, to be 87 percent and 92
Subedi said the 15th Kaski District Department of Water Supply and percent, respectively, while the same
Council meeting decided in 2007 to Sewerage (DWSS). was 11 percent and 87 percent for
make the district open defecation Investments from the local Bajura, which features the last on the
free by mid-April 2010. Meanwhile, government, concerned stakeholders list.
a strategic plan was drawn up and community themselves supported
highlighting the joint responsibility the district to gain the status. http://202.166.193.40/2011/06/22/
of individuals, communities and the The DDC and various government top-story/kaski-to-be-first-open-
state in promoting total sanitation. and non-government offices invested defecation-free-district/336145.html
The campaign was led by the District more than Rs 330 million to help
Water and Sanitation Coordination construct toilets in Kaski and carry out

Experts Stress on Rain Water Harvesting

in Dhaka City
Dhaka city needs 2.2 billion litres of water causing insufficient of water supply. rainy season could be used round the
every day. Ninety percent of which is Experts say conservation & use of rain year which in turn would significantly
extracted from underground. Unlimited water is an alternative to such crisis. reduce the use of underground water.
extraction of underground water to meet They say that the city building could Specialists stress the need on continued
the city`s increasing demand is lowering easily collect & use rain water. Rain research on the subject and making
the water level at an alarming rate. water could be used for all purposes owners of buildings aware in this regard.
Under these circumstances professionals including drinking for which it must be
underscore the need to conserve and use collected and conserved in hygienic way. Asif Producer (News) Bangladesh
rain water. It could be filtered through different Television (BTV)
Shortage of pure drinking is very methods if required.
common scenario in the city during The process could continue round (30 minutes visual report on the above
the dry season which is due to further the year especially during the rainy mentioned issue broadcasted on BTV &
sinking the underground water level season. Rain water collected during the BTV World).

71
 Good job done in Kaski, says report
SANITATION, DRINKING WATER ACCESS
KATHMANDU, MAY 16

By Pragati Shahi Joint Secretary at the Ministry of to one household in rural areas comes to
Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) around Rs 2,000, while it is expensive
Kaski district in the western region Krishna Acharya said that despite in urban areas due to rapid urbanisation
of the country has topped a list of 72 positive signs in the campaign to make and population growth and the high
districts that has provided the people basic health and sanitation facilities cost incurred in setting up plants to treat
access to basic sanitation and drinking accessible to the people in the country sewerage.
water facilities, a recent report published in recent years, the governments goal to In Nepal, 5.6 million people (about
by WaterAid in Nepal said. provide the access to all by 2017 is still 20 percent of the population) do not have
The report published in March this a far cry. access to drinking water, data prepared
year has Bajura district in the far-west at The United Nations Millennium by the Department of Water Supply and
the bottom of the list. WaterAid studied Development Goals target is to provide Sewerage (DWSS) in 2010 show. Nepal
the status and access to basic sanitation basic sanitation and drinking water to needs an annual investment of Rs 7.5
and water and investment in this sector 53 and 73 percent of the population by billion to meet the universal access to
in 72 districts. 2015. basic water and sanitation facilities
In Kaski, access to basic sanitation According to Acharya, although the by 2017, Acharya said. Coordinator,
and drinking water was found to be report compiled by the government and Research and Advocacy, of WaterAid,
87 percent and 92 percent respectively, partner organisations including I/NGOs Rabin Lal Shrestha, said the 2015 MDG
while the same was found 11 percent shows that 43 and 80 percent of the and the governments goal to provide
and 87 percent in Bajura. population has access to basic sanitation access to basic sanitation and drinking
Other districts that topped and drinking water, the equity and water to all is a big challenge for all
the list include Chitwan, Parbat, access to quality amenities is still below stakeholders concerned.
Kavrepalanchowk, Illam and Syangja, the satisfactory level. However, according to him, some
while those that figured in the bottom Investment is comparatively less major achievements in recent years
include Sarlahi, Darchula, Salyan in rural areas as compared with urban include the level of awareness among the
and Bajhang. Three of the remaining areas when it comes to providing access local communities, particularly in rural
districts of the countryKathmandu, to basic amenities like drinking water parts of the country, on basic health and
Bhaktapur and Lalitpurwere left out and sanitation, Acharya said. On an sanitation.
of the study. average, the cost of providing the access

72
 7 Stories in local languages
The South Asia region is diverse in language and culture and so it is important that media stories are written in
vernacular languages to reach a wider readership, including those whose voices are being raised.
In addition to English language articles, WASH Media - South Asia members have published hundreds of
articles in local languages on water, sanitation and hygiene over the past year. As a result, in Pakistan, for
example, Sindhi media have started to cover water, sanitation and hygiene stories on a more regular basis.

Visit to Korail slum Dhaka, Bangladesh. Women washing dishes.

73
 Sindhi

Daily Kawish: Brief translation

In search of water: By: Aakash Santorai
Look at her eyes, they seem thirsty, wandering in Kachho. Her tears have dried up due to searing dry winds. I observed
that in the Kachho area, women living from Pat Suleman to Sawro have no more tears left in their eyes. Whether its dawn
or sizzling midday or the dead of night, the women of Kachho, hiding all their sufferings, walk to fetch water. There seems
no end to this ordeal.
The Kachho area lies in the lap of the Khirthar hills range and is spread over 0.3 million acres. There are only a few water
supply schemes in some villages but these remain dysfunctional. If you have not observed this thirst and the thirst of
Kachho, you should travel in Kachho in the scorching summer season. You can see the desert everywhere and each and
every adult or child, man or woman is spotted with pot on head or in their hands fetching water that is far from them.
Several people have lost their lives in the desert of Pat Suleman due to thirst. Women from this area of Kachho have to
walk five to six kilometres daily to fetch water from the wells dug in the bed of Nain Gaj (Torrential scream).The women of
the Kachho area spend their lives in search of water. Sometimes they have to walk at midnight to fetch water and many
women have been bitten by snakes in the darkness of the night. Is it written in the fate of these women of Kachho that
they would walk for water from generation to generation? The women and children implore the clouds to drop some water,
but often the clouds do not accede to the clamouring prayers and betray them by crossing the Kachho without allowing
any drop to fall on the parched soil and the dried lips of the people of Kachho.

74
 Global city, Karachi, faces threat of
contaminated drinking water by climate
change
Keenjhar lake, which is the only source of drinking water for Pakistans largest populated city, Karachi, is missing its
marvellous paste due to environmental and climate changes in the region.
Karachi city is located at the coast of the Arabian Sea in the south-east end of the country. It is the main sea port and
financial hub of Pakistan. Karachi is the most populous city in the country, one of the worlds largest in terms of population
and also the tenth largest urban agglomeration in the world. Its population is now approaching 20 million. Karachi is also
counted as a global city and is ranked as a Beta world city.
Keenjhar lake is one of the largest
freshwater lakes in Pakistan which is
spread over an area of 13,468 hectares.
The lake has been declared a Ramsar site
since 1976. It is located in the Indus eco-
region, one of the worlds 40 eco-regions.
Keenjhar lake is filled by the K.B Feeder
canal which is a branch of the Indus river.
Over the last three decades, when
the Himalayan glaciers were gradually
melting, the Indus River witnessed
drought. After that the climate of Keenjhar
lake also gradually changed and it
became contaminated because the lake
was deprived of the fresh water it needed.
The water quality also decreased because
it was contaminated by the effluent of
chemical industries and the thermal
power house of Jamshoro. The huge
effluent from the Kotri Industrial Area and
Nooriabad Industrial Area is discharging
into the K.B Feeder which is the only
source of fresh water from the Indus river
for this lake.
Water experts are of the view that Pakistan
is to face water scarcity by 2035 because
the countrys productivity per unit of
water, per unit of land is the lowest in the
world. More than 54 million Pakistanis
out of a population of 165 million do not
have access to safe drinking water and 76
million lack access to sanitation. Last year
the United Nations declared safe drinking
water and sanitation to be a basic human
right. The tragic aspect of this situation is
that Pakistans government is not giving
any attention towards these alarming
climate change impacts.

75
 Hindi
These articles were published in the Desh Bandhu newspaper from New Delhi on World Water Day 2011.
The articles present stories around the emerging global water and sanitation crisis and give special mention to developing
countries, especially India.
The first article is based on excerpts of Ban Ki Moons (UN Secretary General) views on impending water stress globally
and its impact on urban agglomeration. The article makes reference to girls skipping schools in the absence of adequate
sanitation facilities, and women facing hardships while accessing distant sanitation facilities.
The second article titled Pani ke liye Pani Pani and Ghtate Jal star ka khatra first presents the alarming situation of
water resources in India and then enlists the causes of depleting water tables and places emphasis on water harvesting
and public education for using water resources judiciously.
The third article from Punam
Gujrani discusses about using
toilet water for drinking purposes
and the research underway in
this regard. It advises in the end
on water harvesting to boost the
depleting water tables.
The fourth article by Rajendra
Manhas is on saving water for
future generations as we save
money.
And at the end there is an article
by Sudheesh Pachauri (Professor
Hindi department JNU) who talks
about the water crisis in the urban
cities of India and advises the
Government to run a campaign for
public education about harvesting
water for future generations. If we
dont wake up in time, then for
future generations there will be no
more availability of fresh water and
air to live a healthy life.

76
 Nepali

By: Dipendra Bista

Kaski District first in sanitation
Kathmandu: Kaski district in the western region of the country has topped a list of 72 districts that has provided the
people access to basic sanitation facilities. According to a data set compiled by WaterAid in Nepal on status and access
to basic sanitation and water facilities, Kaski district is at the top and Bajura district in the far west is at the bottom of the
list. Around 87 percent people in Kaski have access to sanitation facilities while only 11 percent in Bajura district have
access to sanitation facilities.
Chitwan ranks second and Parbat third in the list. Three districts including Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur were left
out of the study. The Government of Nepal has allocated Rs. 428.5 million for water and sanitation in Kaski from FY 2062
to 2068 and Rs. 122.3 million for Bajura. Communications and Gender Officer at WaterAid in Nepal Anita Pradhan told
that residents of Pokhara a famous tourist destinationhas more access to sanitation facilities compared to other
districts. Public awareness level of Pokhrelis is higher compared to others in terms of sanitation. May be, its the impact
of being a tourist destination, said Pradhan, adding, Lack of public awareness and poverty are the major causes for
limited access to sanitation facilities in Bajura.
According to National Planning Commission, only 43 percent populace in the country have access to sanitation facilities
while only 19 use toilet and practice handwashing. We cannot meet the universal access to provide basic water and
sanitation facilities by 2017 if the progress on water and sanitation moves ahead at the current snails pace, said Pradhan,
adding, The government should encourage the organizations working in health and education sector to give due attention
to sanitation and water.

77
 Urdu
Express Urdu
Asim Shahzad
In collaboration with the Federal Government
of Pakistan and the provincial Government
of Punjab, the local government started
excavating different roads of Lahore city to
construct sewage lines several months ago.
Due to the delay in completion of the project,
the residents and shopkeepers are facing a lot
of difficulties.

Express Urdu
Asim Shahzad
The residents of Laurence Cooperative Society
Lahore, one of the richer localities of the
city, are suffering contaminated water being
supplied by the authorities. The residents also
suffer heaps of garbage lying everywhere in
the vicinity. During a survey conducted by
the paper, residents have said that they got
stranded in their houses as there was sewage
water everywhere.

78
Ifham Nizam to Newsline, Agence France Presse, Inter Press Service and
The Island, Colombo, Sri Lanka Western newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, Sunday
Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.
Ifham Nizam is a print media journalist based in
Colombo, Sri Lanka. He started his career as a full Aakash Santorai
time journalist at The Sunday Leader in 1994 and Daily Kawish, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
is currently working with The Island. He is an environmental
Aakash Santorai is a professional development
journalist, but has also covered almost all major beats including
journalist based in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan. He
parliament, economics, defence, cinema and sports. His present
has ten years journalism experience and is also a
focus is on power and energy, the environment and economics.
social and human rights activist. He is attached to one of the
Alka Pande largest circulated regional papers, the Daily KAWISH, which is
Country Coordinator: WASH Media South Asia, India published in Hyderabad city. He is a Senior Sub-editor and head
Thomson Reuters, Uttar Pradesh, India of a magazine and current affairs section of the paper. He covers
the environment and the economy. He can be contacted at his
Alka Pande is a print media journalist based at
personal email [email protected].
Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India. She is
primarily a development journalist with a special focus on issues Pragati Shahi
related to the environment, gender, climate change, agriculture The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, Nepal
and commodity. She has written a large number of stories whilst
Pragati Shahi has been working as a Sub-editor with
working with many reputed national English dailies of India,
The Kathmandu Post, a leading English national daily
including the Times of India, The Indian Express and Outlook
published in Kathmandu, Nepal, for the past four
weekly magazine. She is currently reporting for Thomson Reuters
years.
from Uttar Pradesh. www.alkapande.blogspot.com. Email:
[email protected]. As an environment and development journalist, she has
extensively covered different environmental issues at local and
Md. Asifur Rahman (Asif)
international level ranging from participatory and sustainable
Bangladesh Television BTV, Dhaka, Bangladesh
management of resources to global climate change. She has
Md. Asifur Rahman is a versatile electronic media been working as an assistant editor for an e-magazine on the
journalist from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has been water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, Panee ra Sarsafai
attached to state-run BTV as a Producer (News) for over a year.
since November 2008. He mostly edits copy, writes news and
Saleem Shaikh
produces panel interviews on the desk, but he also covers
Dawn, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
different social issues. He has reported several stories on
different issues for BTV. He is also a fellow of the UK-based non Saleem Shaikh is a development and investigative
governmental organisation, WaterAid in Bangladeshs, Media journalist associated with Pakistans premier English
fellowship programme, under which he has reported dozens of daily, Dawn, in Karachi, Pakistan. He has also worked
stories related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues. at Dawn News TV as a copy editor/associate news producer and
Email: [email protected]. as Senior Sub-editor at The News, Geo News TV in Karachi. He
has published news stories, features and investigative articles
Mustafizur Rahman
on different subjects including the environment, climate change,
Country Coordinator: WASH Media South Asia,
fisheries, water, drinking water, sanitation, womens rights,
Bangladesh
gender issues, agriculture, irrigation, alternative energy, drainage,
New Age, Dhaka, Bangladesh
rainwater conservation, political economy, education, human
Mustafizur Rahman is a Senior Staff Correspondent rights and health.
at Dhaka-based English language national dailyNew Age. He
Shanika Sriyananda
covers mainly civil bureaucracy, public policies and development
Sunday Observer, Colombo, Sri Lanka
issues. As a print-media journalist, he has covered various
issues and events at national and regional levels. He is currently Shanika Sriyananda is a print media journalist and a
a media fellow of UK-based WaterAid Bangladesh and writing freelance photographer from Sri Lanka. She is now
reports on water and sanitation of the marginalized communities working with the Sunday Observer as Assistant News Editor. She
in Bangladesh among other issues. Having a masters in English is an environmental journalist and has covered the environment,
Literature, Rahman has been in the field of reporting since 2002. science and health beats for a long time. She temporarily shifted
to war reporting in 2007 but has now returned to covering the
Aoun Sahi
environment, water and sanitation. She also reports weekly
The News on Sunday, Islamabad, Pakistan
interviews with politicians and ambassadors and is working on
Aoun Sahi is a print media journalist based in Lahore, the online issue of her newspaper, the Observer Online.
Pakistan. He works as a reporter for The News
on Sunday, the weekend magazine of The News
International. A Daniel Pearl and Alfred Friendly Press fellow in
2010, Sahi worked with The Wall Street Journal as a reporter
for six months as part of his fellowship. He has also contributed
 Who are we?
WASH Media South Asia is a group of journalists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri
Lanka writing and broadcasting on the issues of safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
in the region.
We are convinced that access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene are the building
blocks for human development. Unfortunately these fundamental rights of citizens across the region
have been severely undermined, placing a huge burden on citizens health, livelihoods and quality of
life. Even worse, diarrhoea, caused by unsanitary living conditions and unsafe drinking water, is the
second biggest killer of children in South Asia, after pneumonia.
Our first meeting was held in February 2011 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The media forum emerged as
a result of two days profound deliberation on the role of the media as a watchdog to monitor and
make accountable respective public institutions. We also firmly believe that the media can play an
important role in raising public awareness on health and hygiene.
Now with over 30 members from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, we are associated
with renowned newspapers, television channels and radio stations in the region.

Our aims
We strongly believe our efforts will strengthen others to save the lives of children, men and women,
by pursuing the following objectives that we collectively developed:
1 Extensively writing and broadcasting on important but ignored issues of water, sanitation and
hygiene.
2 Collectively targeting important political meetings, regional and international events to improve
governance and accountability.
3 Bringing to light human tragedies, mainly of women and children, hidden behind crude statistics.
4 Sharing stories, knowledge and learning with fellow journalists across the region.

How we work
The media forum is governed by a regional coordination committee comprising of two members from
each country. This is a volunteer initiative.
We plan to meet face to face every second year and coordinate through other communication means
such as Skype. We have also established an e-group and blog to regularly share our stories and
experiences, which is the source of inspiration for all of us. We consult with experts working in this
area to inform our stories.

Wash Media South Asia

Flat No- 806, Block E, 8th Floor, Naz Plaza,
main M.A Jinnah Road, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Phone: 92-333-2622571