Heena Sharma Blog

More Indians living in villages owned a latrine in 2018 than four years ago, yet 44% of them still defecate in the open, according to a survey covering Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh that was released on January 4, 2019. These four states together contain two-fifths of India's rural population and reported high open defecation rates, over 68% in 2016, as per this government report. Almost a quarter (23%) of those who own a latrine defecated in the open, a figure that has remained unchanged since 2014, researchers found. This can mostly be attributed to deeply entrenched beliefs about caste “impurity” associated with emptying latrine pits, the paper concluded. “ Changes in open defecation in rural north India: 2014 – 2018”, a working paper published by the research and policy advocacy Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) and New Delhi-based policy think tank Accountability Initiative (AI), is based on surveys of over 9,812 people and 15

For all we know, mixed waste cannot be treated. Therefore segregate waste at the right source, or be ready to pay fine! The three Delhi Municipal Corporations have come up with an action plan for waste segregation, maintaining the order that any housing societies, market associations, etc, should segregate waste scientifically, failing which a fine between Rs 10,000 to Rs 100,000 will be imposed. This drive, however, will begin after proper guidelines and awareness have been issued to the public. Senior officials emphasized on the importance of implementing waste management in a proper and planned manner. The plan will then be rolled out after 6 months across the capital. Keeping in mind the financial status of the East and North corporation, senior officials plans to proceed the action by using funds from the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) "We had received Rs 100 crore under the Swachh Bharat Mission and this will be used for carrying out work related to waste