Sustainable Sanitation of Villages on Bank of River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Individual health and hygiene is highly dependent on appropriate availability of drinking water and proper sanitation. There is, therefore, a clear relationship among water, sanitation and health. Consumption of hazardous drinking water, inappropriate disposal of human excreta, improper environmental sanitation and lack of personal and food hygiene have been important causes of many diseases in underdeveloped countries. India is no exception to this. Prevailing high infant mortality rate is also primarily attributed to poor sanitation. Government has introduced Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) to improve the sanitary conditions and eradication of open defecation. Besides government-initiated standards, protocols and   regulations for monitoring the sanitation conditions and creating inclusive and sustainable sanitation infrastructure such as individual household toilets, community toilets complexes besides ensuring zero disposal of wastes including solid wastes, liquid wastes and plastic wastes into Ganga River under Namami Gange Mission.  Present paper attempts to review the sustainability of rural sanitation in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the villages situated on the bank of river Ganga. The paper is based on secondary data and pertinent literature.