It isn't a news to be proud about but India tops the countries in list for population that defecates in the open. That is about 50% of it's population or 626 million to be exact. What is more staggering is that we leave behind countries like Congo, nigeria, bangladesh. I am sure this can be attributed to the magic of statistics and percentages but the real scenario is more alarming than it seems.What is more alarming was the fact that India needed a wake up call from it's prime minister in order to bring attention to this cause when he brought attention to the fact in his independence day's speech.
Sure, you are not likely to catch ebola from open defecation. But as they say cleanliness is next to godliness. And really this is not the task which can be trusted to be handled by politicians, i.e remember rural minister Jairam Ramesh's comment on toilets for marriages. If only sound bytes can lead to a solution!
We need a systematic plan in place to tackle the scenario for public hygiene. And just building toilets will not be enough. There is a need for an education system to be in place which informs people about the need for enclosed toilets. More importantly, an education program why toilets are the way to go, since even in the presence of toilets, rural indians have a habit of defecation in open citing various reasons such as health or better exposure to their farmlands.
What they don't know, is that the practice of open defecation leads to poor hygiene condition which can be detrimental for the health of young children, leading to diseases like diarrhea . No wonder India has the highest number of under-five deaths globally. This is like defecating on your own children's head. Not to mention the lack of privacy that open defecation leads to. Indians consider it okay to have their children below five defecate in open, and such scenes would be most evident near bus stops where call of nature is more urgent than actually finding a bathroom. But don't children have a right to privacy as well. With the perversion of society, it is important that children are taught their rights in regards to their well being and privacy. And the first step towards it is a massive education campaign which targets the people most vulnerable to the hazards of open defecation, which is children. So even though Bunty might find it convenient to relieve himself in open, the same case won't apply for Babli in her growing years, who has to constantly try to protect her modesty while attending to call of nature. Provided that they have a healthy childhood after having been exposed to infection and health hazards from open defecation.
Therefore, I am glad that private companies are spearheading this initiative to change sanitation preferences and promote toilets by linking sanitations with health. There is urgent need to change the sanitation system in India, from replacement of human scavengers and cleaners of sewage system to animal cleaners and initiatives to educate the population of India on the benefits of using enclosed latrines and toilets. Mr Modi has announced plans to build more than 100 million toilets in the country to end the practice of open defecation. But the reality is that we need more than money and toilets to tackle this issue. What we need is a massive awareness campaign, involving the government, non-profit groups and citizens.
