Author: PRIA Blog
By Perry Watson, Intern (University of Victoria, Canada)
My first two weeks at Participatory Research in Asia, here in New Delhi, India have been nothing short of a whirlwind. Each day I learn more about the field of water and sanitation and each day I develop more questions about this sector. However, throughout this period of exploration and inquiry I have had no apprehension whatsoever towards speaking with my colleagues at PRIA about any questions that may arise. PRIA has offered me access to their vast array of information in many of the related subject areas such as: Governance and Citizens, Sustainable and Participatory Development, Panchayati Raj Institutions and some of the prevailing reasons for the continued practice of open defecation. This in turn has given me the ability to develop a much more comprehensive understanding of the issues India faces as a whole but more specifically, what awaits me during my field work in Chhattisgarh.
From day one I was made aware of four distinct, albeit related issues that India faces with regards to water and sanitation. Firstly, there is insufficient water, which involves scarce water resources and a depleting water table. Secondly, the accessibility of water resources is a major issue as both bodies of water and people are often spread out (particularly in many parts of rural India), making accessibility a concern. Thirdly, quality of water remains threatened by lack of treatment, and limited information, facilities and overall awareness towards water. This process often leads to the end result of contaminated water. Last but not least, poor coordination of water resources, whereby various stakeholders often lack the necessary cooperation and coordination of water resources with one another. Appropriate planning bodies do not take each other into consideration and are therefore often ad hoc in nature. These are a few of the key areas of consideration that I have begun to understand during my stay in the PRIA office here in Delhi. I would like to now focus this reflection toward my initial observations of the fieldwork I will be involved with in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
I will be working on a project titled, "Influencing District Planning for Water and Sanitation through Functional and Effective District Planning Committees and Actions for Water and Sanitation in Chhattisgarh”. The project design document has identified three objectives: "Community-led and local government anchored planning and implementation for water and sanitation; Consolidations of planning and convergences of actions for water and sanitation at the District Planning Committee level; and Citizen-led advocacy for appropriate policy and structural reforms in delivery of water and sanitation”. Broadly speaking, projects such as this one are implemented to address the lack of sanitation and more specifically, to end the practice of open defecation. Open defecation is a serious risk to the overall health of all Indians, and to the dignity and safety of women and children. It has become abundantly clear to me during my introductory research that the problem does not rest only in governmental and institutional inertia towards water and sanitation. There is clearly genuine political will towards the building of latrines and the eradication of open defecations. One can debate whether or not the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Campaign that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken will be a complete success or not but this is about much more than political considerations. The ‘Clean India’ mission and associated projects will be successful if they actively address the need for a behavioral change towards sanitation.
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