All the efforts will fructify by garnering public participation

Unorganized and worse sanitation costs 6 percent of GDP, so public participation is key to containing the unorganized sanitation issues in Jammu & Kashmir. We need to understand the impact of sanitation and convince the people to make concerted efforts as it takes a toll on our development and spoils our life and livelihood.
Indiscriminate use of resources across the country, especially in rural areas, is hazardous to public health. The rural sanitation process is beset with multiple problems in rural areas. The quality of water, soil, and air is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Solid and liquid waste management and unorganized construction work without checking their impact on resources and life demands mindful early solutions and strategy. The rural sanitation program and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan have a direct impact on improving life and the available resources in rural areas. In India, we have 72.62 percent population in rural areas which speaks a lot for their development in order to achieve the mark of the Sustainable Development Goal.
The lack of access to sanitation has an impact not only on public health but also on human dignity and national development. In most cases, we see deprivation, illiteracy and lack of civic sense which become the cause of many diseases and deaths. In 1986 the central rural sanitation program was initiated to provide safe sanitation in rural areas. Sanitation aims to provide a healthy living environment for everyone to protect natural resources like surface water, groundwater, and soil health. No doubt the Government of India has given rural sanitation a flip with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan I and now II, but due to the increasing population load in rural areas many issues and challenges are confronting the general public which can be mitigated by inclusive development of infrastructure required for addressing sanitation, solid and liquid waste management and scientific disposal.
Sanitation ensures improved health conditions related to clean drinking water, treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. The household refuses collection disposal and needs the involvement of the general public also through the Panchayat Raj institutions which can sponsor sanitation workers and funding. There is a need to identify dumping sites and mini sewage plants for recycling of sewerage to get pure water. The involvement of all stakeholders – government, execution agencies, the general public and PRI should try to realize the objective and work in tandem to improve solid and liquid waste management. The Panchayat plan must be thrust on it. The MGNREGA should all cover sanitation and waste management disposal as roads and open spaces in villages are littered with waste materials. It will be ideal if Panchayats use the MGNREGA card holders for management collection and disposal of waste materials in villages besides the funds must be allocated regularly for rural sanitation components. The panchayat should specify the land to villages for dumping the waste and improve other facilities like medical facilities and water facilities by reviving and rejuvenating the dying water bodies which are badly affected by pollution. The afforestation, tree plantation and other sanitation works need to be executed holistically. The need of the hour is to manage rural sewerage and solid waste on scientific and innovative means. All the efforts will fructify by garnering public participation.

Dr Imtiyaz Rasool Ganai