Empowering Panchayats through
addressing Water & Sanitation
73rd constitutional
amendment is a milestone in the history of Indian local self governance. In the
XIth schedules 29 works have been assigned to PRIs. Activities like effectiveness
in the delivery system of Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation
touches the life of each and every person residing in the Panchayat, improves
the village life and also attest the significance of PRI.
Sanitation
is a public good. Although it is an individual practice, the use or lack of use
of a sanitation facility by anyone has its impact on the health of all others
in the vicinity. Open defecation, which is one of the biggest sanitation
challenges in the state, results in contamination of water bodies, pollution of
the environment and transmission of disease causing vectors through various
media like water, food.
Gram
Panchayats are mandated with maintaining the sanitation status in the GP. They
have the responsibility to ensure that the environment around the GP is free
from contamination, and people live a health life. Being a public good and with responsibility
for change and maintenance with the GP, gives an opportunity for the
strengthening of the GP’s capacity to appreciate its importance as an important
component to change people’s well being, plan for intervention, implement them,
initiate a community level visual monitoring system, and ensure sustainability
of the changes brought about.
At one hand there is provision of
standing committees to facilitate and monitor these activities and on the other
hand these activities are backed by flagship program where role of PRI is well
defined. So effectiveness of PRIs in these programs will not only strengthen the
institution, but it will also pave the path for more and more devolutions.
These interventions will go long way in activating the standing committees of GP.
Status of Water &
Sanitation National and State (Jharkhand)
The rural
water sector in India is characterised by high levels of coverage in terms of
public investment in sources and systems Drinking water supply[1] is
also one of the six components of Government of India’s Bharat Nirman
programme, which has been conceived as a plan to be implemented in four years
from 2005-06 to 2008-09 for building rural infrastructure. During this period,
55,067 uncovered habitations were to be covered and 2.17 lakh quality-affected
habitations were to be addressed. Tackling arsenic and fluoride contamination
was given priority. Impressive achievements have been made in the first two
years. In 2006-07, against the target to cover 73,120 habitations, 1,07,350
habitations were covered. As on 1.4.2007, there were 29,534 uncovered
habitations, 1,74,782 ‘slipped-back’ habitations and 1,59,348
‘quality-affected’ habitations. The status of uncovered habitations under
Bharat Nirman indicates the need for accelerated implementation. Large
incidence of slippage from “fully covered” to “partially/not covered”
categories is due to a number of factors such as sources going dry; lowering of
the ground water table; systems outliving their lifespan; and increase in
population resulting in lower per capita availability.. Water quality affected habitations refers to
areas facing problems with arsenic, fluorides, iron, nitrates and salinity,
however bacteriological contamination associated with poor sanitation is also
widespread and an estimated 1,000 children die per day from diarrhea in India.
In Jharkhand entire population
does not have access to safe drinking water & sanitation. Rural sanitation
coverage is very low. About 30% of habitations have partial facility with
drinking water. All habitations do not have safe drinking water as source
contains Fluoride, Arsenic & Iron.
The programmes such as Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP), Swajaldhara and Total Sanitation Campaign were launched in serving the rural population with water and sanitation related services all across the State.
The programmes such as Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP), Swajaldhara and Total Sanitation Campaign were launched in serving the rural population with water and sanitation related services all across the State.
Achievement
- Reorganization of Ranchi
Urban Water Supply scheme was completed and commissioned
- Improvement of Dhanbad Water
Supply scheme completed and commissioned
- Water Supply to Medininagar
Urban Area started Phase-1 started
- 4400 nos. of NC and 2799
nos. of PC covered
- 270 Nos. of Fluoride/Arsenic
Removal Attachments installed in water quality problem areas.
- 108 Rural Pipe Water Supply
schemes constructed/upgraded.
The
baseline survey report of Ministry of Drinking water & Sanitation
presents shabbier picture of the state.
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Baseline Survey 2012 - State Abstract Report
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SL.No.
|
Category
|
Percentage
|
1
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% of Household not having Toilet
|
94.59
|
2
|
% of Household having Toilet
|
5.41
|
3
|
% of Household having functional Toilet from HH having Toilet
|
49.67
|
4
|
% of Household having defunctional Toilet from HH having Toilet
|
50.33
|
5
|
% of Anganwadi having Latrine
|
100
|
6
|
% of Anganwadi having adequte Water Facility
|
0.00
|
7
|
% of GPs where VWSC formed
|
33.33
|
8
|
% of GPs where VWSC Functional
|
33.33
|
9
|
% of GPs where Swachchhata Doot is Posted
|
33.33
|
10
|
% of Govt School Without Toilet
|
0.00
|
11
|
% of Govt School Without Water Facility
|
0.00
|
12
|
% of Private School Without Toilet
|
0.00
|
13
|
% of Private School Without water Facility
|
0.00
|
14
|
% of GPs Where other Organisation Involved
|
33.33
|
Sanitation
has causal linkages with many other developmental indicators – e.g. with water
(good quality water depends on improved sanitation), nutrition (better
absorption of food depends upon improved sanitation) health (majority of rural
diseases, especially those affecting children, are caused by poor sanitation),
education (school dropouts due to poor sanitary facilities), poverty (loss of
productive labour and wages due to ill health caused by poor sanitation), and
so on. In such a situation, there is an urgent need to improve the sanitation
status of the state, particularly the six pilot districts.
Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan
The NBA is
an ambitious sanitation program of the Government of India that aims to revamp
TSC to make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2022. The NBA foresees an
integrated approach to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). With the
initiation of the NBA, the role of the district-level sanitation coordinator,
who was an integral part of TSC, has undergone a substantial change. Now known
as Swachchhata Preraks, these coordinators are the catalysts of the program at
the district level, charged with facilitating GPs in achieving Nirmal Gram Panchayat
(100 percent ODF) status, using systems of garbage disposed and drainage to
create a clean environment in GPs
Water and Sanitation Activity Mapping
The work of Department of Drinking
Water and sanitation could be divided into 5 broad functions,
·
Rural
water supply (hand pump),
·
Rural
piped water supply,
·
Supervising
and monitoring of rural piped water supply,
·
Rural
sanitation, and
·
Service
of employees.
Regarding hand pumps for rural water
supply, the GPs will select the location for new hand pumps and execute normal
as well as special repair of hand pumps. However, hand pumps will be set up as
per the directives of the Water and Sanitation Department. Furthermore, the
Department will provide required amounts for the set-up and repair of hand
pumps. In the case of unnecessary delay in releasing funds, the GP may
recommend actions against defaulting officials. The PSs are responsible for
supervising and monitoring the set up and repair of the hand pumps by GPs, and
the ZPs will select the GPs for set up of hand pumps in primary and middle
schools. These assignments do not appear to be appropriate. It is not at all
clear why GPs cannot use own funds, from whatever source, to install and repair
hand pumps. Furthermore, it is not clear why ZPs should select the GPs for the
set up of hand pumps in primary and middle schools. It would seem that GPs are
sufficiently informed and incentivised by personal concern to determine the
location of hand pumps in the GP and primary and middle schools. It is not
clear why PSs should supervise and monitor the work of the GPs. The fact that
the activity mapping allows the GPs to recommend actions against officials for
unnecessary delays in the release of funds suggests that there are serious
problems with the efficiency of the Public Health Engineering Department.
Perhaps this money should be given directly to the GPs and the role of the
Public Health Engineering Department should be diminished. GPs could easily
contract with the private sector to install hand pumps. This would create
additional opportunities for commercial activity in rural areas of the State of
Bihar.
The ZPs are given exclusive
responsibility to select projects for rural piped water supply. Although it is
probably not relevant, it would seem that a GP could elect to use its own
resources to provide rural piped water to its residents. It is not at all clear
that assigning this function to ZPs is appropriate or desirable. The service
area for piped water supply is likely to be the GP rather than an entire ZP,
and a GP is probably best placed to know whether piped water supply or the
installation of hand pump is most appropriate.
All three tiers of local self
government are given responsibility for monitoring of rural piped water
schemes. It is not clear that they have any authority in the case that the work
is unsatisfactory, and the overlapping responsibility seems unnecessary and
undesirable.
Regarding rural sanitation, the ZP is
responsible for controlling, monitoring, and guiding the District Water and
Sanitation Mission, registered as ‘Prakalp’ in the 11 districts selected under
the Total Sanitation Campaign. GPs are responsible for selecting BPL families
to construct low cost toilets at their houses. The activity mapping appears to
give most of the genuine authority and responsibility to the Convenience
Committee. In fact, the activity mapping appears to tie the hands of the GPs.
GPs should be encouraged to take initiatives in financing and making
arrangements to expand access to water supply and sanitation (toilets).
The ZPs, PSs, and GPs are responsible
for authorising the casual leave of district employees. This seems appropriate,
but it is not clear whether this means all officials, including the BDO, DM,
and SP.
Suggestive Activity Mapping
Subject
|
Zila Parishad (ZP)
|
Panchayat Samiti (PS)
|
Gram Panchayat (GP)
|
|
|
|
|
Rural water supply (hand pump)
|
ZP
will select the GPs for set up of handpumps in primary and middle schools.
|
PS
will supervise and monitor the set up and repair work of the handpumps by
GPs.
|
GP
will execute normal as well as special repair of handpumps.
|
|
|
|
GPs
will select the location for new handpumps.
|
|
|
|
Under
the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme, GPs will select the location
and execute the replacement of non-working handpumps.
|
|
|
|
Engineers
of Dept. of DWAS at different levels including Executive Engineer shall
assist the GP for all the set up/ repair work of handpumps under all
programmes. Executive Engineer will draw the required amount in advance and
provide to the GPs.
|
|
|
|
All
on-going projects under all the programmes shall be executed by Public Health
Engineering Dept.
|
|
|
|
Handpumps
will be set up as per the directives of the Department.
|
|
|
|
GPs
will accord priority to the SC, ST, and UBC hamlets facing scarcity of
drinking water.
|
|
|
|
The
Department will provide the required amount for set up and repair of
handpumps. In case of unnecessary delay in release of funds, the GP may
recommend to take action against defaulting officials.
|
|
|
|
In
case of non-cooperation of employees and engineers, the GP may also recommend
punitive action against them.
|
Rural piped water supply
|
In
case of resources insufficient to complete all the ongoing projects, priority
of the projects will be decided with the consent of the ZP.
|
|
|
|
New
projects will be selected at ZP level.
|
|
|
Supervision and monitoring of rural
piped water supply
|
A
ZP will monitor the rural piped water supply schemes of its jurisdiction
through departmental employees.
|
A PS will monitor the rural
piped water supply schemes of its jurisdiction through departmental
employees.
|
A GP will monitor the rural
piped water supply schemes of its jurisdiction through departmental
employees.
|
Rural sanitation
|
ZP
will control, monitor and guide the District Water and Sanitation Mission, registered
as 'Prakalp' in the 11 districts selected under Total Sanitation Campaign as
well as other districts.
|
|
A GP will Select BPL
families to construct low cost toilets at their houses.
|
|
|
|
Prakalp
will facilitate village level Drinking Water and Sanitation Committee and the
project will be executed through the Convenience Committee of the related GP.
|
|
|
|
Even
in non “Prakalp” districts, it will be executed through the Convenience
Committee.
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Service of employees
|
Executive
Engineer will attend ZP meetings. DDC cum EO of a ZP will sanction his/her
casual leave after recommendation of the Chairperson of the ZP.
|
Assistant engineer and
junior engineer will participate in PS meetings.
|
|
|
|
Employees
under these projects will work under PS and their casual leave will be
granted by BDO cum EO after recommendation from Head of the PS.
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