Why in the news? 

India was ranked right at the bottom of 180 countries in the Environment Performance Index (EPI) in 2022. The EPI ranks countries on climate change performance, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

• It is also known as the Clean India Mission, is a significant campaign initiated by the Government of India on October 2, 2014,
• It is primarily aimed at eliminating open defecation, improving solid waste management, and promoting cleanliness across the country.

Key challenges related to Swachh Bharat Mission

• Poor Quality of Infrastructure: Reports suggest inadequate construction quality of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), raising questions about the effectiveness of the initiative.
• Inadequate Access to Sanitation Facilities: Despite government claims, communities in slums and peri-urban areas still lack access to public toilets, contributing to sanitation challenges.
• Lack of Waste Treatment: Toilet construction in rural areas is not linked to waste treatment, leading to improper disposal of faecal sludge and environmental contamination.
• Ineffective Waste Management Technologies: Large, capital-intensive waste management technologies have failed to meet expectations, resulting in health crises and the need for additional resources to fix them.
• Privatization of Public Health Services: The outsourcing of sanitation work to private contractors, often employing subjugated communities, has led to the privatization of public health services and perpetuated caste discrimination.
• Insufficient Human Resources: Shortage of sanitation inspectors and inadequacy in recruitment efforts hinder effective monitoring and management of sanitation programs at the local level.

Way forward

• Enhanced Quality Assurance: Implement stricter quality control measures to ensure the construction of toilets meets prescribed standards. Regular inspections and audits can help identify and rectify any construction deficiencies.
• Targeted Infrastructure Development: Prioritize the construction of public toilets in slums and peri-urban areas to improve access to sanitation facilities for marginalized communities.
• Integrated Waste Management: Integrate toilet construction with waste treatment facilities in rural areas to ensure proper disposal of faecal sludge.

Mains PYQ 

Q What are the impediments in disposing the huge quantities of discarded solid wastes which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment? (UPSC IAS/2018)

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