URBAN SANITATION PROBLEM
Sanitation issues in urban areas are complex and multifaceted, posing significant challenges to public health, the environment, and the overall quality of life for city dwellers. Although urban areas are better than rural areas, still one-third of the urban households have no access to piped drinking water in 2011 and the progress during 2001-2011 was just 2 percentage points. Similarly, one-fifth of urban households were not connected to any drainage facilities and similar proportions have no access to toilet facilities in urban areas. Also, in urban areas, there is no difference between the proportions of households with television/ mobile/telephone facilities on the one hand and toilet facilities on the other, as observed in rural areas. State-level variations in access to water and sanitation remain the same as seen in rural areas. Slums add an acute dimension to the sanitation and unhygienic conditions in urban areas, as one-fifth of urbanites live in slums according to the 2011 Census. These problems are often exacerbated by rapid urbanisation, population growth, and inadequate infrastructure. Let’s discuss in detail a description of sanitation issues in urban areas with suitable examples –
1. Inadequate Wastewater Treatment: In many Indian cities, such as Mumbai and Kolkata, a large portion of the wastewater is discharged into water bodies without proper treatment. This not only pollutes rivers and coastal areas but also affects the marine ecosystem and the livelihood of fishermen who depend on these waters for their catch.
2. Overflowing Landfills and Improper Waste Disposal: The Ghazipur landfill in Delhi, India, is a prime example of the challenges posed by improper waste disposal. The landfill, which has been in operation for over 50 years, has become a mountain of waste that frequently catches fire, emitting toxic fumes and affecting the health of nearby residents.
3. Open Defecation and Lack of Sanitary Facilities: Despite being the financial capital of India, Mumbai has a significant population living in slums without access to proper sanitation. The Dharavi slum, one of the largest in Asia, suffers from a lack of toilets, leading to open defecation and the spread of diseases like cholera and dysentery.
4. Contamination of Drinking Water Sources: In many urban areas, including parts of Lagos, Nigeria, and Jakarta, Indonesia, untreated sewage seeps into groundwater, contaminating drinking water sources. This leads to waterborne diseases and a high incidence of diarrheal illnesses among the population.
5. Insufficient Sanitation Infrastructure: The city of São Paulo, Brazil, faces challenges in managing its sanitation due to rapid urban expansion. Many peripheral areas lack basic sanitation infrastructure, leading to the use of septic tanks that often overflow or are improperly maintained, contributing to environmental pollution.
6. Poor Solid Waste Management: In cities like Cairo, Egypt, and Manila, Philippines, the collection and disposal of solid waste are major issues. The informal waste sector plays a significant role in recycling, but the system is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of waste generated by the growing urban population.
7. Health Risks and Disease Outbreaks: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of proper sanitation in controlling the spread of diseases. In densely populated urban areas with poor sanitation, the risk of disease transmission is higher due to close living quarters and inadequate hygiene facilities.
The sanitation issues in urban areas are rooted in a combination of factors, including insufficient investment in infrastructure, rapid urbanisation without adequate planning, poverty, and a lack of awareness about hygiene and sanitation practices. The impacts of these issues are far-reaching, affecting public health, the environment and economic development. Poor sanitation can lead to a loss of productivity due to illness, reduced tourism and damage to local ecosystems.
URBAN SANITATION REMEDIAL MEASURES
Addressing sanitation issues in urban areas requires a multifaceted approach that involves policy changes, infrastructure development, community engagement and behaviour change. Here are some remedial measures to improve sanitation in urban areas:
1. Approach: It should integrate slums and informal settlements in all stages of planning and involve citizens in the implementation and monitoring of public sanitation facilities
2. Planning: The government should conduct an initial need assessment survey to plan the number, design and location of public toilets. It should review the performance of existing public toilets on aspects including reasons for their performance, financial and legal barriers to performance, contractual limitations, institutional weakness, gender sensitivity, and design limitations.
3. Strategic implementation: Creating a demand for safe sanitation services: It can be done through social marketing of sanitation and behaviour change communication for urban sanitation.
4. Management: The government should review management models for public sanitation facilities, including public-private partnerships, and develop feasibility criteria for sustainable management of public sanitation facilities to support decision-making before selecting one or more models.
5. Monitoring: The government should create a database that has all existing public sanitation facilities and can be used to support decision-making and disseminate information to the public, and provide a means for it.
In addition to the measures mentioned above, the government is implementing policies to further improve the situation. Some of them, as mentioned below –
1. First five-year plan (1951-1956), Eighth Five-Year Plan (1992-97), Ninth and Tenth.
2. VAMBY (Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana)
3. Nirmal Shahar Puraskar (Clean Cities Award)
4. National urban sanitation policy
By providing adequate sanitation will have profound implications for human health and poverty alleviation. Access to adequate sanitation literally signifies crossing the most critical barrier to a life of dignity and fulfillment of basic needs.
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