The country did successfully build 100 million toilets, but this success must be made sustainable
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Including people who still lack toilets, overcoming partial toilet use and retrofitting sustainably unsafe toilets are some of the massive tasks ahead Click here to read more
The claim of an ODF-free Haryana flies in the face of cases of class division, dysfunctional toilets and administrative inaction Click here to read more
More than 100,000 tribals, dalits and women raised a loan of Rs 20 crore to build toilets, after the incentive of Rs 12,000 per household was found insuffiicient Click here to read more
Every household now has an extra toilet, due to SBM. Yet people are forced to defecate in the open because of acute water scarcity Click here to read more
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The state, with almost 60% of panchayats headed by women, tackled open defection by resolving the water crisis. It was declared open-defecation free in October 2016 Click here to read more
Benda village sets an example by achieving ODF status before the state despite facing a severe drought Click here to read more
Maharashtra’s rain-shadow region has had so little rain in the last four years that residents don’t have enough water to flush into toilets Click here to read more
Over 100 million toilets in five years took a lot of effort; the change is showing now Click here to read more
Sanitation programmes remained a mirage until the government shifted focus to information, education and communication Click here to read more
The fight for open defecation-free status is far from over Click here to read more
Bangladesh took 15 years to become ODF, while Thailand took 40 Click here to read more
The start has been promising and exciting. Now the challenge is to sustain the ODF tag and ensure that the pollution is checked Click here to read more
Parameswaran Iyer, secretary, Department of Drinking water and Sanitation, spoke to Down To Earth on how intensive information-education-communication efforts by the Centre and states made India ODF Click here to read more
Changing a habit requires time, effort and constant motivation Click here to read more