Why is it in the News?

A scheme fully owned by the state has become a toolkit for privatisation of public health services and continues caste discrimination.

Context:

• India was ranked right at the bottom of 180 countries in the Environment Performance Index (EPI) in 2022.
  • This index evaluates countries based on their performance in addressing climate change, maintaining environmental health, and preserving ecosystem vitality.
  • It assesses 40 performance indicators across 11 issue categories, encompassing areas like air quality, access to drinking water, and sanitation.
• In response to this ranking, the government expressed reservations, citing flaws in the methodology that, according to them, fail to accurately capture the Indian scenario.
• Over the past decade, the Modi government has launched several development campaigns, including the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and the National Clean Air Programme.
• These endeavors are geared towards enhancing living standards and addressing various socio-economic challenges.
• However, despite these efforts, there remains a noticeable rise in the population's vulnerability due to environmental issues like air and water pollution.

About Swachh Bharat Mission:

• Swachh Bharat Mission, the world’s largest sanitation initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of India in 2014 to achieve an Open Defecation Free India by October 2, 2019, as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
• The programme led to the construction of over 10 crore individual household toilets, taking sanitation coverage from 39% in 2014 to 100% in 2019 when around 6 lakh villages declared themselves Open Defecation Free (ODF).
  • The second phase of the mission aims to sustain the open defecation-free status and improve the management of solid and liquid waste, while also working to improve the lives of sanitation workers.
• The mission aimed at progressing toward target 6.2 of the Sustainable Development Goal Number 6 established by the United Nations in 2015.
  • By achieving the lowest open defecation-free status in 2019, India achieved its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2 health target in record time, eleven years ahead of the UN SDG target of 31 December 2030.
• The mission was split into two: rural and urban.
• In rural areas "SBM - Gramin" was financed and monitored through the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (since converted to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti) whereas "SBM - urban" was overseen by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • The rural division has a five-tier mechanism: central, state, district, block panchayat, and gram panchayat.
• As part of the campaign, volunteers, known as Swachhagrahis, or "Ambassadors of cleanliness", promoted the construction of toilets using a popular method called Community-Led Total Sanitation at the village level.

Critique of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM):

Discrepancy between Goals and Outcomes:

• The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and its successor, SBM 2.0, set out ambitious objectives to achieve garbage-free cities, garnering political support across party lines.
  • However, the reality on the ground paints a different picture.
• Despite government assertions of India achieving open defecation-free status, reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General in 2020 raised doubts about the program's effectiveness, highlighting issues such as substandard toilet construction and inadequate waste treatment.
  • In urban areas, certain communities, particularly those residing in slums, continue to lack access to essential sanitation facilities, exacerbating existing inequalities.
  • In rural and peri-urban regions, the lack of integration between toilet construction and waste management has led to environmental contamination and health hazards.

Perpetuation of Power Dynamics and Inequalities:

• Sanitation and waste management in India are deeply entrenched in caste dynamics, historically burdening marginalized communities with sanitation tasks.
  • Despite attempts by SBM to promote the idea of shared responsibility, the underlying power dynamics persist.
• The introduction of capital-intensive technologies aimed at mechanizing waste management processes has not yielded the desired outcomes, resulting in health crises due to improper waste disposal practices.
• The outsourcing of sanitation work to private contractors, often employing members of marginalized communities, has further entrenched caste-based discrimination.
• Government emphasis on procuring expensive machinery for waste management, funded through public resources, has inadvertently facilitated the privatization of public health services, exacerbating existing inequalities.

Technological Solutions and Implementation Challenges:

• While the government has invested in technological solutions such as waste-to-energy plants and biological methanation, their effectiveness remains limited, with few success stories to showcase.
• Challenges persist in the implementation of these solutions, leading to a lack of tangible improvements in solid waste management across many towns and cities.

Gap in Sanitation Inspection Infrastructure:

• A significant gap in the sanitation inspection infrastructure exists within Himachal Pradesh, as revealed during a recent case in the State's High Court.
• On March 30, 2024, it was disclosed that the Shimla Municipal Corporation, consisting of 34 wards, has only five sanitation inspectors.
• Moreover, the decision to declare this cadre dead after retirement raises concerns about the State's commitment to addressing sanitation issues effectively.
• With more than 50 municipal bodies in Himachal Pradesh and only 20 sanitation inspectors available, it is clear that several municipalities lack essential sanitation inspection personnel.

The interconnectedness of Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Development Campaigns:

• The EPI offers a comprehensive assessment of a country's environmental health and sustainability efforts.
• One critical aspect of the EPI is mapping, which exposes the shortcomings and unsustainability of current development processes.
• In light of a recent Supreme Court judgment acknowledging the links between climate change and basic human rights, it is evident that development models must be reevaluated and adjusted.
• The interconnectedness of the EPI and various development campaigns cannot be ignored, as the consequences of climate change directly impact human well-being and rights.
• With climate scientists attributing current environmental problems to anthropogenic and systemic factors, it is essential to consider the broader implications of the EPI when planning and implementing development initiatives.

Conclusion

To tackle India's environmental challenges, a comprehensive strategy prioritizing sustainability, equity, and social justice is essential. This involves reassessing development strategies, strengthening enforcement, and encouraging community participation in environmental governance. Addressing implementation issues and linking policies to human rights can improve India's EPI performance and foster a sustainable future.