Safe sanitation is a basic necessity for a healthy life and maintaining well-being. Over the past three years, PRIA has been working in Ajmer, Jhansi and Muzaffarpur to promote safe sanitation systems and practices with the active participation of citizens in the planning and monitoring of sanitation services. This work is being conducted as part of the Engaged City, Responsive Citizens (ECRC) project.
World Toilet Day (WTD) was a great opportunity to raise awareness, reflect on and facilitate discussions around safe sanitation in the city with a focus on the urban poor. WTD was also an opportunity to talk about and reflect on lives of frontline sanitation workers who are involved in cleaning of streets, drains and toilets. On the occasion of WTD 2018 we honoured the contribution of sanitation workers and organised ‘toilet talks’ in Ajmer which spread awareness about the hidden role that sanitation workers play in our day-to-day activities. PRIA also organised a street play in Sadhu Basti on the importance of clean toilets and maintaining community toilets by taking ownership. During these event selfies were taken with sanitation workers and clean toilets and were then promoted on social media.
In Jhansi, WTD was organised along with the Uttar Pradesh Sanitation Workers Association. The deliberations were centred on the proper planning and construction of public and community toilets. Issues and problems of sanitation workers were also discussed and a pledge was taken by all to improve the ranking of Jhansi on Swachh Survekshan 2019. In Muzaffarpur, a defunct community toilet was restored by the Settlement Improvement Committee (SIC) along with the support of the SIC Forum and Traders Association and dedicated to community in ward 20. Furthermore, a memorandum to the Commissioner was given by the SIC Forum on inaction for provisioning of toilet facilities to informal settlement households.