Whitepaper
Faecal Sludge and Septage Management in Odisha | Baseline Evaluation 2022
About
Odisha has a total of 223 towns, classified according to population size as defined in Census 2011; and 115 ULBs, consisting of 6 Municipal Corporations, 48 Municipalities and 61 Notified Area and a total of 2035 wards.
Model Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Regulations, 2018 holds each ULB responsible for the safe management of FSSM within their jurisdiction. The regulations require the cesspool operators to ensure that all workers have protective gear and are trained to use the protective gear, and follow hygiene practices. Cesspool operators are required to ensure that all safety equipment are operational and in good condition, and that a firstaid kit and safety equipment are readily available in the vehicle before proceeding to a collection site. Cesspool drivers, helpers, and sanitation workers at the FSTP are constantly exposed to wet as well as dry sludge. None of the sanitation workers (government or private) have been provided with protective gear as per regulations. The ULBs need to ensure that these regulations are adhered to. Additionally, the regular medical check-up of sanitation workers is recommended to ensure they are in good health. A majority of the sanitation workers come from poor socio-economic backgrounds. Instances were reported where some households do not allow the sanitation workers inside their houses to check the overflow/ backflow/ foul smell. This cultural barrier could be addressed through soft skill training and on-site use of clean protective gear.
- Author's Name eGov Foundation
- Posted On 22nd Aug 2024 at 10:10 AM
- Relevant Topics
- Share
About Authors
Aditya Batra is an Associate with the Policy Initiatives team at eGov Foundation and is interested in the intersection of technology and public policy challenges. He actively works with eGov’s civil society and non-profit ecosystem to build new partnerships and manage such co-partnered projects. Currently, he is focused on building a coalition of partners for expanding adoption of online municipal services across the digital divide. Aditya completed his MBA from MICA, Ahmedabad and undergraduate in commerce from Delhi University. Ameya Ashok Naik is a Senior Manager with the Policy Initiatives team at eGov Foundation. He works on developing frameworks and partnerships to assess and improve the impact of eGov’s work. He holds a BA and LLB from Mumbai University, and a dual MA & LLM from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. Krishnakumar Thiagarajan is Vice President at eGov Foundation. In his journey with eGov, Krishnakumar has focused on creating and deploying solutions seeking profound outcomes in urban governance. He has more than two decades of experience spanning leadership roles such as at Tech Mahindra where he spearheaded new practises in the company. He began his career as a strategic consultant. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and holds an MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research.
