Biggest challenge to Swachh Bharat Mission's success is lack of data-led behavioural change'

The Times of India , Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Correspondent : RadheshyamJadhav
PUNE: There has been a huge political and financial investment on the Swachh Bharat Mission by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The programme however, is straining to achieve the desired results states the New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). There is a struggle to bring in the much required behavioural change among people to use toilets - the backbone of the programme's success. One of the key factors for this is the lack of credible on-ground data and the absence of institutionalised tracking mechanisms to measure the health benefits of impacts of proper sanitation, or the adverse impacts of the lack of sanitation, CSE stated in the press release.

While large-scale campaigns are essential to drive behavioural change, it is data that will connect the issue with health impacts and lead to impact on the ground. Currently, India does not have any mechanism for tracking water-borne diseases to shed more light about the progress on the sanitation programme. Sunita Narain, director general, CSE, pointed out, "Our experience and our work in air pollution bears out that change happens when we make a connection to people's health. And the issue needs to be handled differently for rural and urban areas. While in the urban milieu toilets have to be linked with disposal and treatment systems, in rural areas the priorities should be address the issue in the context of poverty, behavioural change by linking it with health, water availability, toilet design and waste disposal."

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Biggest-challenge-to-Swachh-Bharat-Missions-success-is-lack-of-data-led-behavioural-change/articleshow/54784293.cms
 


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