As many as 72 per cent of people in rural Karnataka still resort to open defecation, around 63 per cent do not treat their water before drinking and majority of women do not have access to modern hygienic form of sanitary protection are some of the findings of a recent survey conducted by an NGO. This puts into perpective the latest official figure of 63.91 per cent for rural sanitation coverage, published by the Ministry of Finance in the Economic Survey for 2008-09.
Ashwas, a survey on ‘Household Water And Sanitation’, by the NGO Arghyam, released by state Governor H R Bharadwaj [on 20 July 2009] revealed that 72 per cent people had no access to toilets. While 21 per cent had toilets outside the house, only seven per cent had toilets inside, it said.
Covering 17,200 households in 810 villages in 28 districts across the state, the survey was conducted between December 2008 and January 2009.
It said only five per cent of women used sanitary napkin.
Access to water has improved in most parts of the state but a major concern is the status of quality of water. Fluoride contamination above the 1.0 parts per million (ppm) government norm has been found in 60% of the cases across the state with 27 out of 28 surveyed districts registering its presence. Nitrate contamination was found in 20% of the samples. Typically nitrate contamination is from fertilizer runoff and contamination of water supply with human excreta.
A website has been set up for Ashwas, where the full state survey report, District reports, Methodology and questionnaires can be accessed. Status of water in individual gram panchayats can also be queried online. Reports customized for each Gram Panchayat surveyed will be disseminated to all the Gram Panchayats over the next 3 months.
ASHWAS report launch – presentation by Arghyam CEO Sunita Nadhamuni
Source – PTI, 20 Jul 2009 ; India Water Portal Water News, 27 Jul 2009
I would say that, it is among one of the unscientific surveys. As said, it covered 17,200 household across 28 districts of Karnataka India, covering 100 household from each gram panchayat, but, failed in correlating the evidences and in statistical analysis. It seems that, the survey team neither referred valid documents, guidelines, norms, etc. related to water and sanitation nor did it has basic understanding about rural water and sanitation issues, per se. As envisaged, this survey can’t be considered as citizen’s report card and an acceptable document to disseminate the findings, and make basis for planning purposes in water sanitation sector. It has been observed that, the study had not considered important aspects related to methodology, project processes and important norms in water sanitation guidelines. To highlight a few pertinent issues, a general analysis of the study has been done which is given in following section.
The study methodology is not scientifically correct, so are the evidences, for example: a.) In the study methodology mentioned that PPS (probability proportional to size) is used for selection of respondents, which not correct (it is used to select the primary sampling units), b.) how many households were covered and how they were selected is not clear, c.) there is no rationale for having such huge coverage for the survey. In the report, there is no base/total ‘N’ (number) given for any table or chart, where as none of the tables/charts reflect about the source of the data (house hold level or community level). The survey didn’t consider any project process, through which the available infrastructure for water and sanitation in a Panchayat had been developed; also, there is no mention about elements like-information education and communication [IEC] interventions, human resources development [HRD] initiatives and capacity building measures, etc. This survey did not consider the ‘voice and choice’ and ‘willingness’ of people during any project and the contribution of beneficiaries in asset creation.
It seems that, there is no understandings among ‘Arghyam’ team about community lead sanitation facilities and adequacy, rural sanitary marts (RSMs), basic understanding about ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ toilets. The actual status of toilets in schools and Anganwadi’s, and separate provisions for girls and boys has not been considered in this so called large survey. The survey didn’t analyzed and explored vital issues like ‘incentives’ to poor and ‘vulnerable’ communities in accessing and developing the water sanitation facilities. Also, household garbage and water disposal system, and accessing the risk related to water contamination due to them, had not been touched upon. The study emphasized that, WatSan service should be provided by the ‘Gram Panchayat’, which makes meager role of beneficiary.
The survey didn’t consider people’s access to ‘safe water’ rather it relied on ‘good water’ and the households had been assumed owning a number of water ‘purifying’ techniques, rather getting ‘safe’ water through certain sustainable delivery mechanism. About the types of questions, for example, upon safe handling of water, there are no adequate options given in question itself, also, though the respondents were not mentioned initially about complaining on breakdown (of water supply) to government officials, but, it calculatedly focused on asking about the bribe taken by the government functionaries.
It is to be noted that, in the entire study there is no mention about ‘APL’ (Above Poverty Line) and ‘BPL’ (Below Poverty Line) population and the ‘incentive’ provision for Sanitation Facilities and accessibility for safe drinking water, however, the respondents were asked about ‘capital investment’ (?) they received from Government Project.
The study also reflects the basis understanding of the survey team about different technological options towards latrines / toilets, for example it mentioned ‘Water Seal’ and ‘Pour Flush’ as separate toilet types. There is missing link related to hand washing (by soap, ash and mud/soil) and most prevalent water borne diseases. It is to be noted that, in the whole study the only options (discussed with respondents) for water borne diseases were ‘dysentery’ and ‘chikungunya’. Among others, the illogical questions on water quality, invalid options in many important questions, evidence based facts, usage of school toilets by Gram Panchayat president/members, etc. are the flaws of this survey.
Its seems everything is wrong in the survey…does it come from some disgruntlement?
Please download the survey details and you will come to know about the facts.