Sri Lanka, Colombo: water pirates to be hunted down

The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has taken steps to nab water pirates in Colombo and the suburbs, an official said.

“We have established a special unit to nab water pirates. It is headed by a chief engineer in the NWSDB,” Deputy General Manager, Western and Central (NWSDB), Gerard Fonseka said.

Nearly 120 such illegal water tappers in Colombo are nabbed every month by the NWSDB. There has been no need to implement such programmes in the other districts since complaints regarding tapping of water have not been reported from these areas, he said.

Once the water pirates are caught, the NWSDB would demand that they pay the fines within a given period of time and in the case of not obliging, legal action would be initiated.

According to Fernando, water has been pilfered either by tampering with the meters or obtaining water illegally. He further requested the public to inform the NWSDB about water pirates on their hot line (1939).

Source: Pabodha Hettige, The Island, 18 Jul 2011

Bangladesh – Webinar: Investigating Long-term Sustainability of Rural Sanitation in Bangladesh, 21 July 2011

This webinar presentation is based on findings from a Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) study of 50 local governments that were declared 100% sanitized/open defecation free almost five years ago. Researchers found that almost 90 percent of households in the areas studied have sustained use of a latrine that adequately confines feces, but that hygienic maintenance is relatively poor.

Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 8:30-10:00 EST/ 13:30-15:00 GMT
Venue: Virtual, via AdobeConnect, Click ‘Enter as a Guest’, Type your full name and click ‘Enter Room’

To learn about the WSP study,  see the full Technical Report  or Research Brief.

For more information about the seminar read see the full announcement

India, Gujarat: state govt approves slum rehabilitation project in Ahmedabad

Amraiwadi, a crime-prone slum area of Ahmedabad, is set for a makeover as nearly 1200 families will get one-bedroom flat with good drainage, separate toilets, a drinking water supply, a landscaped garden and a school.

This is the first project to be approved by the state Urban Development Department (UDD) under its new Slum Rehabilitation Policy [1]. Under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, UDD has contracted the Ahmedabad-based realty firm, Safal Realty Pvt Limited (HN Safal) to implement the project.

Gujarat has based its policy on the Mumbai Dharavi slum development project plan.

[1] UDD – Regulations For The Rehabilitation and Redevelopment of the Slums 2010

Source: DailyBhaskar.com, 18 Jul 2011 ; Indian Express, 15 Jul 2011

India: govt plans to tackle groundwater over-exploitation

The government is planning to regulate over-extraction of groundwater in agriculture and industry which is seriously affecting drinking water supply in rural India, new Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said.

“80 per cent of drinking water supply schemes of rural India are depending on groundwater sources and these sources are drying up due to unregulated over-extraction of water for industry and irrigation,” Ramesh told PTI. “It is a serious issue. We are planning to regulate over-extraction of groundwater for irrigation and industry”.

Drinking water supply schemes are being affected as perennial water sources are becoming seasonal. They are also face pollution by naturally occurring arsenic and fluoride, and by leaching or fertilisers, untreated industrial effluent and sewage.

Source: PTI, MSN News, 17 Jul 2011

“Sanitation is a single most important need in India today”, says new minister

Jairam Ramesh. India's new sanitation crusader?

India’s new rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has also taken charge of the newly-created Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Will the former environmental crusader transform into a sanitation crusader? The first signals are encouraging.

In a cabinet reshuffle the new ministry position was first assigned to Gurudas Kamat who refused to take up the post for “personal reasons” though many commentators believe he was unhappy at being offered such a low-profile portfolio. The new water and sanitation ministry was formerly a department of the Ministry of Rural Development. It provides financial assistance to states and monitors progress but does not have the mandate for actual implementation on the ground.

In his first days in office, Ramesh has made clear he wants to give sanitation the same high profile he achieved for the environment during his two-year stint as minister when he habitually hogged the headlines.

“Sanitation is a single most important need in India today. If you look at the filth, if you look at the hygiene in our country, sanitation programme is the most important programme. It is severely under-funded,” Ramesh told PTI.

Nepal, Mid-Western Region: sanitation card system introduced

Villagers in Salkot, western Surkhet, have to produce a “sanitation card” when applying for services from the Village Development Committee (VDC).

The “sanitation card” system was introduced in Salkot in mid April 2011 when it was declared an open defecation free zone.

The card contains information on whether the house of the card holder has a toilet and has pledged to no longer practice open defecation.

According to VDC Secretary Tilak Ram Adhikari red cards are issued to households which do not not concrete toilets and white cards to those which do have them.

The VDC office claimed that the out of total 1,553 households of the VDC, 1,117 households have been using toilets.

Source: The Rising Nepal, 18 Jul 2011

Cambodia: ADB plans US$ 27 million loan for rural water and sanitation

As part of the new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for 2011-2013 for Cambodia, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is planning a US$ 27 million loan and a US$ 800,000 technical assistance grant for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation III project.

Source: ADB Country Operations Business Plan : Cambodia 2011–2013. June 2011. Download full plan ; ADB, Cambodia Announce $500 Million Three-Year Partnership Strategy, ADB, 07 Jul 2011

Nepal, Mid-Western Region: no scholarship without a toilet

Another example of how coercion is used in sanitation programmes comes from Radhapur village, Banke district in Nepal’s Mid-western Region. The Village Development Committee (VDC) of Radhapur prevents people without toilets “from getting recommendations for citizenship, land certificates and other services”. Schools also do not give scholarships to students from “dalit” (untouchable) families that don’t have a toilet in their house.

Scholarship are made available by the Water Supply and Total Sanitation Programme. So far one school says it has provided scholarships to 133 households.The Radhapur VDC, Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) and other organisations provide loans for toilet construction.

Source: Rajdhani / NGO Forum, 30 Jun 30, 2011