Behaviour change at many levels needed to make India open defecation-free
National Consultation on Rural Sanitation calls for triggering mindset change, but lack of credible data on health and sanitation is a challenge
Economic Survey bats for one-time cash transfer to pregnant women
Investment in maternal health can become a top policy priority of the central government
Not yet clean
Swachh Bharat Mission completes two years, but India is far from achieving its goal.
This is what Africa can learn from India's sanitation story
Despite the limitations of the Indian model of sanitation, Africa can draw inspiration from its many positive aspects
After India becomes ODF, Nigeria faces a mounting challenge
The African nation is set to replace India with the largest number of open defecators
Discharge of mining waste into rivers affects 50 times more people than tailings dam disasters
Potentially detrimental substances like lead, zinc, copper and arsenic carried downstream from mining sites accumulate within river courses and …
Visiting a tiger reserve is not just about spotting big cats
Exploring the wild is not just about seeking thrills or capturing breathtaking photos but also about fostering a deeper appreciation for the …
Nigeria needs a more effective sanitation strategy. Here are some ideas
Almost one in four Nigerians – around 50 million people – defecate in open areas
Weak municipalities, governance failure stalling progress of Swachh Bharat: experts
The panelists suggested that the Centre should find ways to reform governance and change attitudes
Centre asks mining companies to contribute to Swachh Bharat Mission projects
With CSR investments likely to boost funding for SBM projects, the DMF must now be used only to address other pressing issues in mining-affected areas
Coercive measures under Swachh Bharat Mission impinging on people’s freedom
Due to strict deadline of the SBM, the officials are now trying to coerce communities to stop open defecation and passing stringent laws
Similar patterns of antibiotic resistance found in animals, humans and their environment: study
Conducted in Ujjain district, the study highlights that genes responsible for resistance were commonly detected across samples
Drought hinders efforts to make Maharashtra open defecation-free
The drought scenario in Maharashtra forces us to think what will happen to the ambitious plan of making the state 100 per cent Open Defecation-free
1,500 people evicted from slum in Dharamshala; rehabilitation uncertain
People living in Charan Khad slum for over three decades are now being chased away from Dharamshala as local authorities don’t want them to …
India's queue for toilets is the longest
If you stretched all 774 million people in India now waiting for household toilets, the queue would stretch from Earth to the moon – and …
Slums and the story of India's housing crisis
The rate at which informal housing is being destroyed probably far exceeds the rate at which formal housing is being constructed
Next gen toilets
Bacteria from Antarctica could help free India of the problems caused by open defecation
A third of the world’s poor live in India, says UN
Millennium Development Goal report released by global agency urges for increased efforts to increase access to sanitation and reduce hunger and …
What’s holding back India’s complete ODF status?
A few laggard states needing appropriate technology and behavioural intervention are the final hurdle in order to achieve 100% household coverage …
Govt launches new framework to sustain India’s ‘100% ODF status’
The Centre will proclaim India to be 100% ODF on October 2 and the new framework envisages its strategy to maintain that status
India even behind Somalia when it comes to safely managing sanitation services
The JMP report also shows significant inequalities in basic drinking water and sanitation services within regions
Down To Earth wins Indian Sanitation Coalition-FICCI award for its coverage on sanitation
Besides sustained campaigns on sanitation, Down To Earth has been exploring the connection between sanitation and health in order to trigger a …
Sanitary insights
January 2, 2017, is the 15th death anniversary of Anil Agarwal, founder of the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth. This year, …
FAO launches Open Foris software to monitor forests
The open source, free-to-use software was successfully used in pilot projects in 10 countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America; it can change …
Swachh Survekshan 2020: Indore is the cleanest city 4th time in a row
Surat in Gujarat and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra ranked second and third among the cleanest cities with more than a million population &…