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Critical Analysis

India faces significant hygiene challenges, including sanitation inequities, waste management failures, and contaminated water sources. Despite initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission, issues such as open defecation, inadequate waste processing, and polluted water persist, exacerbated by cultural practices and government apathy. A systemic change is necessary, focusing on strict enforcement of laws, investment in infrastructure, and education to improve hygiene and address caste-based labor.

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16 views2 pages

Critical Analysis

India faces significant hygiene challenges, including sanitation inequities, waste management failures, and contaminated water sources. Despite initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission, issues such as open defecation, inadequate waste processing, and polluted water persist, exacerbated by cultural practices and government apathy. A systemic change is necessary, focusing on strict enforcement of laws, investment in infrastructure, and education to improve hygiene and address caste-based labor.

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Critical Analysis: India’s Hygiene Challenges

India’s struggle with public hygiene and sanitation remains a pressing


issue, despite notable efforts in recent years. Below is a critical
examination of key problem areas:

1. Persistent Sanitation Inequities

 Open Defecation: While the Swachh Bharat Mission (2014-2023)


reduced rural open defecation from ~60% to 1%, critics argue
these figures mask ground realities. Many toilets built under the
campaign lack water supply or maintenance, forcing people to
revert to old practices.

 Urban Slums: Over 65 million urban dwellers live in slums with


inadequate waste disposal and shared toilets, perpetuating health
risks like cholera and typhoid (World Bank, 2023).

2. Waste Management Failures

 Landfill Crises: Cities like Delhi and Mumbai drown in garbage,


with landfills like Ghazipur (Delhi) reaching heights taller than the
Taj Mahal. Only 30% of urban waste is processed; the rest rots in
open dumps, leaching toxins into soil and water.

 Plastic Pollution: India generates 3.5 million tons of plastic


waste annually, with 70% ending up in landfills or waterways. The
2022 ban on single-use plastics has seen lax enforcement.

3. Contaminated Water Sources

 Sacred Pollution: The Ganges, revered by millions, remains a


toxic cocktail of industrial waste, sewage, and ritual offerings.
Despite the $3 billion Namami Gange cleanup project, fecal
coliform levels in the river are 300x above safe limits in some
areas (WHO, 2022).

 Rural Water Access: 163 million Indians lack access to clean


water (WaterAid, 2023), leading to reliance on polluted sources
and waterborne diseases.
4. Cultural Practices vs. Modern Hygiene

 Traditional Beliefs: Ritual purity often prioritizes symbolic acts


(e.g., washing hands before prayer) over germ theory. Discarding
non-biodegradable offerings in rivers or public spaces exacerbates
pollution.

 Caste Barriers: Manual scavenging—cleaning human waste from


dry toilets—persists illegally, employing over 58,000 Dalits (mostly
women) in degrading, hazardous conditions (Safai Karmachari
Andolan, 2023).

5. Government & Public Apathy

 Policy Gaps: Swachh Bharat focused on toilet construction but


neglected behavioral change and infrastructure upkeep. Urban
sewage systems can only treat 37% of wastewater (CPCB, 2023).

 Public Littering: A 2022 survey found 72% of Indians admit to


littering in public, reflecting weak civic responsibility and
enforcement of anti-litter laws.

Conclusion: A Call for Systemic Change

India’s hygiene crisis is rooted in systemic failures: underfunded


infrastructure, lax governance, and deep-seated socio-cultural norms.
While campaigns like Swachh Bharat are steps forward, lasting change
requires:

 Strict enforcement of waste management laws.

 Investment in sustainable sanitation infrastructure.

 Grassroots education to shift mindsets on hygiene and caste-based


labor.

India cannot truly "clean up" without addressing these structural


inequities and prioritizing human dignity alongside national pride.

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