Ramanathan Venkatesh, Grade 7

Middle School Finalist
Brambleton, Virginia

India is the world’s largest democracy. It’s enormous population of 1.3 billion people still has a huge number of needs and services, despite its remarkable progress on environmental and social needs. It is studied from the prominent crowns of the Sri Kailas Mountain Range to the Ganges River and other rivers and mountains that sweep across the country, India is a miscellaneous nation. But, one large problem still facing India today is the poor sanitation. In other words, there are a lot of people who still have no access to toilets.

Based on my research I also came to know that open defecation and communicable waterborne disease are highly concerning in India. Water relates to 21 percent of diseases in India. Around 99 million people have no access to safe water and 500 children in India each day cannot survive through their fifth year on the earth due to diarrheal disease. Lack of adequate and appropriate toilets used to contribute to the main reason for open defecation in India. Only 32.7 percent of its rural households previously had access to toilets. This figure has now grown to 98.8 percent as 92 million newly constructed toilets cover most of the rural area. It appears that a great decrease is emerging while the coverage rate of toilets is rising. Limited water access in rural regions directly impedes children’s possibility to receive an education. 

During my exploration I figured out that the Ganges River provides water access for around 400 million nearby dwellers, and unfortunately, cities directly inject over three-quarters of untreated sewage into the river. The government approved Namami Genge program has achieved operation of 75 sewage treatment plants, a river surface cleaning action plan and a desire to rejuvenate the river from heavy pollution.

At this juncture let me not forget to mention that the Swachh Bharat (Clean India Mission) contributed incredible achievements. India built about 1.5 million toilets in 2019 and over 100 million toilets during the past 5 years. In total, when the mission completed in October 2019, 60,000 villages were open-defecation free. Resources like Chicago Booth’s Global Visibility Fund, which provided support for the Clean India convening, help the school grow its worldwide reach and work on global issues.  The Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) coverage reached 100 percent of the state’s households.

In India, USAID aims to create healthier urban communities and improve livelihoods by increasing access to safe water, sanitation services. USAID partners to improve public sanitation services, train skilled professionals on septage management, and increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation services to India’s poor and underserved communities. India’s partnership with Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) represents an outstanding international intervention of sanitation improvement in India’s local communities. It secured over $5 million in funding from the private sector. Fueled by this funding, 175,000 people have access to safe water and 25,000 communities are open-defecation free.

India has made rapid progress in ending open defecation across the Country. The number of people defecating in open in India has reduced significantly by an estimated 450 million people. However, we all need to ensure sustained use of toilets and hygiene practices by all, at all times. Making sanitation a priority delivers big economic, health, and environmental benefits. The motivation for action is there, as it is clear that improved sanitation is vital for good health and social development, a good economic investment, and improves the environment. However, reaping the benefits of improved sanitation will require decision makers at all levels to shift their way of thinking about sanitation and recognize that universal coverage is affordable and achievable.