Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Myth vs Reality

Abstract

Open defection is one of the reasons of poor sanitation and it is linked to health and human development. According to SDG India index baseline report, 2018, Odisha is the lowest performing state both in latrine coverage and open defection. The southern districts are mostly underdeveloped compare to other part of Odisha and the districts have more than 50 percent tribal population and lastly poor are more likely to open defection than others and the health outcomes of tribes are also not good compare to others. In this context, an ethnographic study has undertaken in southern districts of Odisha with the help of techniques like in-depth interview, focus group discussions and field observations to know the latrine practices among tribes. The result reveals that the low uptake of latrines is due to age-old practices and also availability of water and land at outside. The default in subsidy-based latrine like structural design, location and non-availability of water connection to latrines, fear of overflow of faecal sludge, non-availability of proper cleaning system of pits are the prominent reasons for low uptake of latrines. Addressing these issues are the foremost priority and proper awareness campaign with the help of local people, local language and local music is the way forward to achieve sustainable development goals.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46700/asssr/2023/v5/i1/223396