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Rice University

Publication Date

Fall 2011

Program Name

India: Health and Human Rights

Abstract

This independent study project looks at the topic of sanitation within rural Maharashtra. Although the Government of India, through the state governments, has initiated nationwide campaigns against poor sanitation and waterborne illnesses, these programmes do not reach all communities or find significant success in improving sanitation. Recent revisions of these sanitations programs have shifted their focus from a centralized supply-driven approach to a localized demand-driven approach, yet the system requires more work to become fully functional. In some areas, non-government organizations, such as the Comprehensive Rural Help Project (CRHP), have stepped up to bridge the gap between the available government programmes and the local communities. The study is a qualitative analysis of two villages near the census town of Jamkhed. One village, Village A, has a long association CRHP of over 20 years and the other village, Village B, has only worked with CRHP for 7 years. Through a series of personal interviews with local residents, CRHP officials, and Gram Panchayat officials, the study will gauge the community’s awareness, reaction, and utilization of the government’s sanitation schemes and efforts. Additionally, a survey was handed out to 50 households of both villages and used as quantitative data. The study showed that Village A’s residents had much better access to improved sanitation and water than the residents of Village B, due to better awareness, demand, and habits regarding water and sanitation. CRHP’s efforts in the villages functioned as a catalytic supplement to the government, optimizing the impact of government sanitation programmes through health education efforts and community empowerment.

Disciplines

Infrastructure | Other Environmental Sciences | Water Resource Management

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