ISSN: 2230–7567
R.N.I. Regn. No. 49322/89
Glimpses of World Toilet Day Conference
SULABH INDIa
November 2015, ` 20/-
ISSN: 2230–7567
World
Toilet Day
Hema Malini, Member of Parliament with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak lighting the ceremonial lamp on the inaugural day of the World Toilet Day Conference: November 19, 2015
Chhath Festival Celebration
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA Preamble WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
having solemnly resolved to
constitute India into a [SOVEREIGN
SOCIALIST SECULAR
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC] and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the [unity and integrity of the Nation];
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT,
ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
Editorial dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
A Positive Approach TO
TOILETS
The cost of building a toilet has been fixed at around Rs. 10,000 which is unrealistic. It has been accepted by experts that a good toilet cannot be built for less than Rs. 30,000
W
e now live in a world where tacos, experts that a good toilet cannot be built for less than Rs. cheeseburgers, fondue and, yes, toilets have 30,000. Sulabh has built a number of such model toilets entire days devoted to them. But World Toilet to prove the point. Day is a little different from the scores of novelty Ending the habit of defecating in the open is holidays – World Toilet Day seeks to raise one of the core objectives of the Swachh awareness surrounding a very important Bharat Abhiyan, which aims to build 12 public health issue: improving access to crore toilets in rural India. sanitation for the 2.4 billion people who Improving access lack access to improved sanitation and Sulabh has been promoting sanitation to sanitation for the toilets. for about half a century, working 2.4 billion people in different climes and cultures, “It is about the nearly 1 billion people who lack access to among people of different economic who have to defecate in the open. improved sanitation backgrounds in India and abroad. It is about the millions of children Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak has studied and toilets whose futures are compromised by and written about toilet options, right poor sanitation and related nutrition from the Roman Cloaca Maxima to the problems. And it is about you, who can’t humble borehole including Gandhiji’s “tatti wait to change this situation,” reads the par mitti”. He finally developed the SulabhWorld Toilet Day website, which details the designed two-pit scavenging-free, on-site human purpose behind the day, first designated by the United waste disposal system which has been internationally Nations General Assembly in 2013. approved by UN agencies as a viable alternative to The credit goes wholly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expensive and water-intensive sewerage systems. who has raised the status of the toilet from its location in usually unmentionable corners of the house, to the level India has three years to meet the target, and it’s not of a national symbol of progress and civility. In order impossible If a motivator builds 15 toilets in a month, to ensure maximum success, Modi has set the deadline then, 180 toilets can be built in one year. Accordingly, of Oct 2019, Gandhiji’s 150th birth anniversary, when 540 toilets in three years are to be built by one motivator. Thus 2,50,000 motivators will construct 13.50 crore all homes in India will have toilets; thus, toilets in three years, achieving the goal making toilet-building a race against the set by the prime minister. If the cost deadline. of one toilet works out to Rs. 30,000, Deadlines, yes, also quality, a point including cost escalation, maintenance which Hema Mailni MP, referred to and follow-up cost in the coming three while speaking at a Sulabh function. years (which is realistic), then the actual She said that construction of toilets is requirement of fund will be Rs. 3,60,000 often so substandard that doors fall apart crore to accomplish this mammoth task. while opening them. For this year, World Toilet Day hopes There have been high-level discussions to draw attention to the crucial yet even in the Planning Commission overlooked link between sanitation and (now NITI Aayog) about the cost of nutrition, as lack of access to drinking toilet construction, which was fixed water and sanitation is one of the main at Rs.10,000, a price now considered causes of poor nutrition. unrealistic. It has been accepted by
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SULABH INDIA dmfd ISSN: 2230-7567 November 2015
Editor-in-Chief Bindeshwar Pathak Managing Editor Kumar Dilip Editor S.P.N. Sinha Joint Editor Janak Singh Editorial Advisory Board S.P. Singh Sidheshwar Dhari Sinha Arjun Prasad Singh R.S. Srivastava Ashok Kumar Jyoti C.P. Nambiar Pramod Makkad Art Director Debabrata Chatterjee Design & Layout Anil Khanna Shashi Dhar
C ONT
Printed & Published by Ram Chandra Jha On behalf of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation Published at
RZ-83, Mahavir Enclave Palam-Dabri Road, New Delhi-110045 Ph. : +91-11-25031518, 25031519 Fax: +91-11-25034014 Email : info@sulabhinternational.org contact@sulabhinternational.org sulabhinfo@gmail.com sulabhindiainfo@gmail.com Website : www.sulabhinternational.org www.sulabhtoiletmuseum.org Printed at Xtreme Office Aids (Pvt.) Ltd. WZ-219A, Street No. 7, Lajwanti Garden, New Delhi-110 046 Entire contents (C) Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. All rights reserved. Reproduction or translation in any language in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be sent to Editor, Sulabh India. Opinions expressed in the contents are the contributors’ and not necessarily endorsed by the publisher who assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited material, nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged in transit. All enquiries/ correspondence regarding editorial, advertisement, subscription or circulation should be addressed to the Editor, Sulabh India, and sent on the address given here in above.
R.N.I. Regn. No. 49322/89 ISSN: 2230–7567
04 SULABH INDIA
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Editorial A Positive Approach … TO TOILETS
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Cover Story World Toilet Day
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Honour The Global Diversity List, economist Dr. Pathak Among World’s Top 50
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Event PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Gandhism Gandhism & Sarvodaya Sammelan
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ONT E NTS Open forum Vision for India: Free of open defecation
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Focus Tribal Rejuvenation in Lakhimpur Kheri
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38 Festival Diwali Diyas Bring Cheer to Vrindavan Widows From the Press Bindeshwar Pathak in Global Diversity List festival Chhath Celebrations Award Sat Paul Mittal National Award to Usha Chaumar Focus Doing Good Great: 13 Asian Heroes...
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Focus 30 WHO Regional Workshop Innovation School boy invents minisensor for the blind
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41 Fourth state of matter Focus Rise and Fall of Fountain Pens Distinguished Guests News from States Chhattisgarh Punjab Kerala
In Conversation 32 Sulabh has been a pioneer in the field of sanitation... Poetry Twinkling Stars
Health Diabetes Linked to Lifestyle Science
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Jammu Karnataka Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh
Photo of the Month
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Cover Story cover story
World
Toilet Day Sulabh International organized a national conference on Nov.19-20, 2015 at Constitution Club, New Delhi to observe World Toilet Day ¢
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Janak Singh
A
t the inaugural session of the World Toilet Day, the dais was graced by guest of honour Hema Malini, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, DG & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, Vijay Chadda, CEO, Bharti Foundation, Prof. B.K. Nagla, former head, department of sociology, M.D. University, Rohtak, and Chairman of the session, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Mrs. Amola Pathak, chairperson of Sulabh Mahila Evam Bal Kalyan Sansthan, Pankaj Jain, IAS (Retd.) chairman, Sulabh Sanitation Mission Foundation, S. Chatterjee, IAS (Retd.) former executive president, Sulabh International, Usha Chaumar, president, Sulabh International Social Service Organisation and Mari Suzuki, Hosei University, Japan.
Pankaj Jain welcomed the guests and elaborated on the theme of the conference: “Fulfilling the Dream of Hon’ble Prime Minister to Provide Toilets in Each Household by 2019-Challenges and Way Ahead”. He called upon everyone to take up the prime minister’s clarion call and said rural India had a huge share in poor sanitation. He said that Sulabh International had made a great contribution towards improved sanitation and till date, had built 1.3 million toilets in homes and 8,500 public toilets all over the country. But India still suffered from “toilet deficit”.
The esteemed guests were honoured with shawls, bouquets, garlands and mementos followed by the release of two books, ‘Ludhiana Ke Har Ghar Mein Shauchalaya’, written by Ashok Kumar Jyoti and ‘Kahani Ek Gaon Ki’, story of Hirmathla written by Sanjay Tripathi.The first book is about Ludhiana district, in Punjab achieving a sanitation milestone. The second book deals with Hirmathla village, a model village none of whose inhabitants defecate in the open.
I have lighted hundreds of lamps in my life… In my own house, on the sets of films and in the temples of gods and goddesses… But all those were for myself. Today’s lamp is for the betterment of humanity; it is for the dignity of women; it is for fulfilling the pious dreams of Mahatma Gandhi and Narendra Modi to see Bharat clean and vibrant Hema Malini MP, Loksabha
Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Hema Malini and Amola Pathak on the dais
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cover story
Gandhiji wanted to eliminate the inhuman practice of untouchability in India, because an untouchable person is born with untouchability Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement
The Bharti Group will spend Rs.100 crore on toilet construction and has already started work in Ludhiana where 10,000 toilets have been built Vijay Chadda CEO, Bharti Foundation
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Gandhiji’s Dream Introducing the theme of the conference and celebration of the World Toilet Day, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak reminded everyone of Gandhiji’s dream of a Clean India. He said that Gandhiji wanted to eliminate the inhuman practice of untouchability in India, because an untouchable person is born with untouchability and dies with untouchability, leaving no scope for liberation and a life of dignity. Mahatma Gandhi cleaned his toilet himself and did it wherever he went. However, it continues to challenge the nation even today and it is the prime minister who has now taken up the challenge. Gandhiji and Modi, both believe that individuals must clean their own toilets. Mahatma Gandhi allowed visitors into his Ashram only when they agreed to personally clean their toilets while staying there. Dr. Pathak urged 16,000 companies including 3,000 international companies, to come forward and adopt villages, panchayats, blocks and districts for constructing toilets and ending the problem of open defecation. In order to carry out the mission of Open Defecation Free (ODF) India, Sulabh International has come up with Action Sociology” as a means to systematically change the mindset of people through education. While embarking on the action path for social change, the Sulabh International Centre of Sociology for Action organized the first national conference on Sociology of Sanitation in 2013, followed by a Workshop for Text Book Writing on Sociology of Sanitation. The outcome of this action has come in the form of a course recently introduced in Bhavnagar University of Gujarat. Sulabh International is planning to organize an international conference on Sociology of Sanitation this year to spread the sanitation movement worldwide and thereby trigger social change.
Change in Mindset
importance of the prime minister’s dream and mission. He suggested that education and technology could fulfill that dream. Education was necessary if people were to change their way of thinking.He said Bharti Group will spend Rs. 100 crore on toilet construction and has already started work in Ludhiana where 10,000 toilets have been built He recalled that when toilets were constructed in some Ludhiana schools, about 3,000 school children were motivated to have toilets installed in their own homes. It was proof that children could be good ambassadors in the sanitation campaign and could be used to motivate others in different parts of the country.
Vijay Chadda, CEO, Bharti Foundation, spoke of the
Mari Suzuki (Japan) was very much impressed by Sulabh International’s
Deepak Vohra, Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and Hema Malini with Priyanka Rai, Chaitali and Asma Parveen the lady ambassadors of sanitation
contribution to the sanitation movement in India. She drew upon her researches and shared her knowledge about Sulabh:“I have studied the private sector’s role in social development. I got to know about the Sulabh International Social Service Organization from a series of case studies which were prepared under the research initiative ‘Growing Inclusive Markets’ organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). They were so inspiring that I translated the report ‘Creating Value for All’, into Japanese and published it as a book in 2010. In this book, I introduced Sulabh to the Japanese audience. It is my greatest pleasure to join you today. It is delightful that the relationship between India and Japan has been deepening since the Indian prime
Dr. Pathak lauded the efforts of three Sulabh Brand Women Ambassadors – Priyanka Roy, Chaitali, and Asma Parvin – for propagating the social message of ‘Toilet for All’, which in fact led Sulabh International to design and roll out such an accessible quality mobile toilet van ministervisited Japan and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), private companies and NGOs are increasingly interacting with Indian people.” Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee said Hema Malini’s presence at the World Toilet Day celebrations underscored the importance of partnership in fulfilling the prime minister’s dream. He said Dr. Pathak’s efforts
had given new meaning to the lives of scavengers and underscored the duty of every Indian to keep their surroundings clean and avoid open defecation. This task is not easy as 1,70,000 toilets are dysfunctional and not in use. Sulabh has built good quality toilets but there are many poor quality of toilets built for petty amounts, ranging from Rs 7,000 or Rs 10,000. This is where corporate support could ensure success of the toilet building programme. SULABH INDIA
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cover story India has the largest number of open air defecators in the world as well as in South Asia, leading to multiple diseases. The requirement for toilets in India is 17 crore in rural areas; but after recent initiatives the requirement now stands at 8-9 crore Hema Malini lauded Sulabh’s contribution to the Swachh Bharat Mission under the visionary leadership of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. She said that as she represented the parliamentary constituency of Mathura, she knew about Sulabh International’s welfare work among the widows of Vrindavan in Mathura as well as Varanasi. She said the national conference organized by Sulabh had brought almost all leading actors of different walks of national life together on a common platform. She said: “I have lighted hundreds of lamps in my life ….: In my own house, on the sets of films and in the temples of gods and goddesses…. But all those were for myself. Today’s lamp is for the betterment of humanity; it is for the dignity of women; it is for fulfilling the pious dreams of Mahatma Gandhi and Narendra Modi to see Bharat clean and vibrant.” She advised the audience: “Emphasize the role of toilets in people’s health and development, especially in development of women. Girls are deprived of education due to lack of toilets”. She shared her experience of her adopted village, Rawal, in Mathura, where toilets were of poor quality and water supply was irregular. Therefore, the toilets were not used. She had to fight to get regular water supply for toilets in the village. She underscored the importance of partnership, involving government and corporate groups, for success of the mission. Usha Chaumar said she felt special sitting with Hema Malini on the dais, as she had risen from the ranks 10 SULABH INDIA
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of scavengers in Alwar, Rajasthan. As somebody “liberated”, she urged everyone present to clean their own toilets. In his presidential remarks, Prof. B.K. Nagla said there is a gap between theory and practice of cleanliness in India and this has to be bridged through the efforts of NGOs, government, corporates and the public. Due to Sulabh’s efforts, the toilet has become a mission and this mission has to be realized through the coordinated efforts of various agencies. Mr. S. Chatterjee thanked all the participants and the Sulabh family for joining hands with the mission of Sulabh and Dr. Pathak.
Technical Session At the first Technical Session in the afternoon, dignitaries and delegates shared their experiences and views on ‘Sanitation, Corporate World and CSR: Technology and Tool to Provide Toilets in each Household by 2019: Technological Options and Contribution of Corporate Sector.’ Pankaj Jain requested the speakers to briefly dwell upon the CSR activities of the companies they were representing, and the goals for their CSR road map.Heoutlined three major areas of focus in sanitation: quantum (numbers), technology and assistance or collaboration from corporates. He said India has the largest number of open air defecators (OADs) in the world as well as in South Asia, leading to multiple diseases. The requirement for toilets in India is 17 crore in rural areas; but after recent initiatives, the requirement is now down to around 8-9 crore. He
said technology should not only be efficient and cost-effective but also lead to affordable sanitation. C.D. Balmuchu shared his company MECON’s, CSR initiatives in six villages of which one has been designated a model village and toilets have been built. The company used solar power for meeting electricity requirements, which has been found sustainable. He said MECON has also built toilets in orphanages for girls in collaboration with Sulabh. Altogether 44 toilets and 32 bathrooms catering to the needs of 530 beneficiaries were built at a cost of Rs. 231.37 lakhs. He showed the audience glimpses of MECON’s CSR initiatives, and efforts to make it sustainable. Praveena Yagnamabhat of Boeing,said at her company’s CSR board meeting in New York, the issue of ‘Houses without toilets’ was discussed. Boeing’s CSR is known as Global Citizenship Partnership. She said Boeing has adopted Korali village in Mewat district of Haryana
Priyanka Rai, Chaitali, Asma Parveen (on the left side), Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak cutting the ribbon to the new Mobile Toilet Van
and toilets built there were a boon for the girls. She said that Boeing is the only American company to partner with Sulabh.
Lack of Awareness Chandrakant Kumbhani (Ambuja Cement Foundation) identified lack of awareness about improved sanitation practices as a major challenge and called for institution building, awareness generation, community participation and networking with government, societies. K. Jawaharlal, former director, Confederation of Indian Industry, described seven toilet models which had waste water disposal systems. He said the country needed 1,542 lakh toilets, out of which 1,260 lakh would be in rural areas and this is where 80 per cent of the waste water is unsafely disposed off. By 2019, the estimate under the Swachh Bharat Mission is Rs. 8.93 lakh crore. This needs collective
action. The Swachh Bharat Mission, in his view, has given the required momentum. Anita Santiago, Manager, CSR, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, said they were working in 210 colonies – JJ Clusters covering 1.79 lakh households and 10.5 lakh people. The lack of toilets and unsafe drinking water posed a major threat to people’s health and her company’s CSR activities were therefore focused on women empowerment and their education. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak recommended the Sulabh model of toilets as pollution-free, affordable and adaptable in all conditions. Sulabh organised a cultural function performed by Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan and her Asavari Repertory. The dance ballet was on the theme, “Koham: Soham” based on the transformation of women scavengers from a life of humiliating drudgery to one of productive work, giving them
Dr Pathak’s efforts have given new meaning to the lives of scavengers and underscored the duty of every Indian to keep their surroundings clean and avoid open defecation Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee DG & CEO, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs SULABH INDIA
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Cover Story cover story economic independence, selfrespect and boosting their selfconfidence.
Care for the Differentlyabled
Sanitation in Delhi’s posh Connaught Place was not comparable with the levels of sanitation found in any village in the US. Udit Raj Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
On Nov 20 Dr. Pathak announced that Sulabh International would further expand its welfare programmes to cover Patna’s blind. He interacted with a group of blind youth introduced to him by social activist Lily Gupta. Dr. Pathak declared Sulabh’s full support for their endeavours to lead a decent life. The blind youth shared their experiences and acknowledged their gratitude to Dr. Pathak for helping them. Dr. Pathak later flagged off a quality ‘Mobile Toilet Van’ for the public. He lauded the efforts of three Sulabh Brand Women Ambassadors – Priyanka Roy, Chaitali, and Asma Parvin – for propagating the social message of ‘Toilet for All’, which in fact led Sulabh International to design and roll out such an accessible quality mobile toilet van. At the second technical session on the theme ‘Convergence and Synergy for execution of the SBM: Contribution of Corporate Sector for its implementation,’ Prof. R. Shankar, formerly of Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli and Prof. Rajesh Misra of Lucknow University were in the chair.
Inter-caste Marriage I got to know about Sulabh from a series of case studies which were prepared under the research initiative ‘Growing Inclusive Markets’ organized by the UNDP Mari Suzuki Hosei University, Japan
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Prof. R. Shankar, explained elaborately the many dimensions – social, economic, cultural and political–of the Swachh Bharat Mission and invited presentations from representatives of the corporate delegation. Dr. Nilratan Shinde (All Cargo Logistics Ltd.) said there is little time for fulfilling the Swachh Bharat Mission, and the major challenge is to bring about behavioural change among Dalit communities. Scavengers are stakeholders in the Swachh Bharat Mission as they suffer from many deprivations. In his view, inter-
Hema Malini, M.P. addressing the Conference
India is a place of attraction for tourists due to its beautiful geography and vibrant cultures, but foreign tourists are increasingly reluctant to visit India because of the dirt and lack of sanitation, as a result India is missing a big source of income every year
caste marriage is the way forward to ensure equality with higher castes. Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak intervened to say that inter caste-marriage matter is not a part of the Sulabh mission, because social change has to be an evolving process. Sulabh, he said, is committed to liberating and rehabilitating scavengers. He highlighted the success of liberated scavengers of Tonk and Alwar, and how they had attained a respectable position in society today, free from social ostracism.
Community and Ecology protection with strengthening public health and hygiene.’ Prof. D.R. Sahu, from Lucknow and Prof. Mohammad Akram, Department of Sociology, AMU, Aligarh, chaired the session. Prof. Sahu said that even when the government was not aware of the need of toilets, Dr. Pathak and Sulabh had initiated construction of toilets in 1968, and now it has become the ‘Sulabh Sanitation Social Movement’.
Dr. Ranjan Mahapatra (CSR Vision, Vision Foundation) wanted CSR to be made mandatoryfor national development. This would ensure increased participation from the corporate world, which could lead to better sanitation and hygiene. In his view, law and public opinion should work in tandem to achieve the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission. CSR could be a tool of business success for the corporate world.
Dr. Pranjal Sarma of Dibrugarh University, Assam, spoke about the sanitation status in his state with special reference to tea garden labour, who had no idea about sanitation or toilets in the work place.
The technical session concluded with remarks from Prof. Rajesh Mishra, who said that the time had come for NGOs and the corporate world to bridge the gap with those who do not have toilets. He emphasized that Sulabh could play a major role in partnership with corporates in providing toilets in every rural household and help end open defecation.
Prof. K.N. Jha and Dr. Harisingh Gour of Central University, Sagar, stressed the need to incorporate the study of sociology of sanitation in college/university course curriculum. He underscored the link between child and maternal mortality and sanitation and commended the gender-related concern of sanitation and the efforts by Dr. Pathak for revolutionary reforms.
The third technical session was held on the theme ‘CSR intervention in Sanitation and its Impact on Facilitating Social and Environmental Change and Outreach Excluded and Marginalized Communities: Liberation, Empowerment, and Mainstreaming of Scavengers;
Dr. Anita Dash of Ravenshaw University, Odisha, said toilets should be accessible to every family and school. Gender insensitivity is palpable in schools, where lack of toilets results in girls dropping out.
Prof. Hanubhai Chavda of Bhavnagar University, clarified that sociology of sanitation has been introduced in Bhavnagar University and urged that it should be taught in other universities. Prof. Mohammad Akram summed up the session, saying that unsanitary conditions SULABH INDIA
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cover story
Boeing has adopted Korali village in Mewat district of Haryana and toilets built there were a boon for the girls. Boeing is the only American company to partner with Sulabh Praveena Yagnamabhat Boeing Girls from Sulabh Public School with Hema Malini, Member of Parliament
have complex roots and needs systematic and methodological study. He attributed unsanitary conditions to the unavailability of toilets and sanitation infrastructure, lack of attitude and scientific understanding about use and maintenance of toilets andthe irresponsible behaviour of citizens as well as institutions.
There is a gap between theory and practice of cleanliness in India and this has to be bridged through the efforts of NGOs, government, corporates and the public. Due to Sulabh’s efforts, the toilet has become a mission Prof. B.K. Nagla former Head, Department of Sociology, M.D. University, Rohtak, Haryana 14 SULABH INDIA
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Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak thanked the sociologists who had come from the different parts of the country and announced that Sulabh will sponsor the Sociology of Sanitation Fellowships for research. He said an International Conference on Sociology of Sanitation would be held in coming years and a small brainstorming workshop would be held in Goa on the subject.
Valedictory Session After marathon discussions among the corporate representatives, academia and government officials, the valedictory session was held to report the outcomes of the conference and decide the direction of action to realize the goal of a
toilet for each household by 2019 and to make India open defecationfree. The programme was initiated by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak who conferred a shawl and a Sulabh memento on Udit Raj, MP. Amola Pathak offered the same to Shazia Ilmi. Thanking participants, he said Narendra Modi is the first prime minister to take up the cause of sanitation at the national level. He said that Sulabh is solidly behind the prime minister’s clarion call and will work tirelessly for achieving the goal by 2019. He told the gathering that the toilets constructed by Sulabh are of high quality and were reliable among the poor people. Dr. Udit Raj said India was a place of attraction for tourists due to its beautiful geography and multiple cultures, but foreign tourists were increasingly reluctant to visit because of the dirt they found here, as a result India was missing a big source of income every year. He said sanitation in Delhi’s posh Connaught Place was
The Swachh Bharat Mission can be a success only if quality toilets are built. It was agreed by all that the minimum cost of a reasonably good quality household toilet would be about Rs. 30,000 per unit (at Nov 2015 prices). Revival of non-functional toilets is important for the success of toilets in rural areas
not comparable with the levels of sanitation found in any village in the US. He lauded Dr. Pathak’s vital role in the field of sanitation. Shazia Ilmi described Dr. Pathak as the ‘Angel of Sanitation,’ and emphasized that corporates under CSR should come in a big way to construct toilets in every underprivileged and deprived household in the country. Asma Praveen, Sulabh’s Brand Ambassador from Kushinagar, U.P, said she refers to the toilet as ‘SHAUCHALAYAJI’, an expression of her feeling for Dr. Pathak’s pioneering work. She said she was inspired by Sulabh, and has resolved to begin awareness work regarding toilets in the villages in her region.
History of Sanitation In his presidential speech, Prof. Richard Pais,summed up the range of views and experiences shared in the session, also pointing out that the history of sanitation dates back at least 7,000 years, to the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks
and Romans. In the Indus Valley Civilization (2,600-1,900 BC) streets were built on a grid pattern and networks of sewers were dug under them. Toilets were flushed with water. The Romans had a complex system of sewers covered by stones, much like modern sewers. In the Middle Ages, toilets were simply pits dug into the ground with wooden seats over them. In fact, the Christian monks built stone or wooden lavatories over rivers or rivulets. Medieval times were truly the dark ages as far as sanitation was concerned. Towns were dirty and crowded, and disease and epidemics spread unchecked because of lack of sanitation. In the 16th century, the English poet, Sir John Harington, invented the first ‘modern’ water closet. The first modern public lavatory with flushing toilets opened in London in 1852.
Policy Implications and Recommendations After deliberations over two days on the theme of “Fulfilling the Dream of Hon’ble Prime Minister to Provide Toilet in Each Household by 2019– Challenges and the Way Ahead”, there emerged consensus on significant issues. Based on these issues the following recommendations were made: The Swachh Bharat Mission can be a success only if quality toilets are built. It was agreed by all that the minimum cost of a reasonably good quality household toilet would be about Rs. 30,000 per unit (at Nov 2015 prices). Revival of nonfunctional toilets is important for the success of toilets in rural areas. Problems of water, electricity, poor construction or attitudes should be
identified and eliminated. Inculcation of toilet culture depends on affordability, comfort and acceptance by people. Only such toilets would be sustainable, for example the twin-pit, pour flush, manure technology based toilet developed by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. There is no patent, so anybody can take the design and build. There should be some mechanism for community/public toilets. Ideally, the community should be involved at every stage of construction and maintenance. People should be motivated to have toilets at home by educating them about the evils of defecating in the open, about public sanitation and how proper hygiene will result in less people falling ill and therefore lower medical bills. There is a need for one motivator in every panchayat whose task is to cover at least three villages. For this, proper manpower planning is essential. The motivator in each panchayat would have two masons and four workers for toilet construction. Two masons would be able to build and install 15 toilets a month. The 2.5 lakh motivators, along with the 5 lakh masons and 10 lakh helpers, would be able to construct 13.05 crore toilets in three years, thereby meeting the prime minister’s deadline. This would also result in full employment for 2.5 lakh motivators, 5 lakh masons and 10 lakh helpers for three years. Besides government efforts, CSR donations and contributions by High Net-worth Individuals would be crucial to generating the resources required for achieving the goal of Swachh Bharat. SULABH INDIA
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honour
the Global Diversity List, economist
Dr. Pathak Among World’s Top 50 D r. Bindeshwar Pathak figures in a list of the World’s Top 50 personalities alongside US President Barack Obama, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, the Dalai Lama and Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousufzai.
The Global Diversity List of The Economist magazine of London, has been prepared after receiving several thousand nominations from readers of the magazine all over the world. An international panel vets and ratifies the final list. It is a comprehensive guide to the individuals who are putting diversity at the heart of human resources within the world’s biggest organizations. “Dr. Pathak”, says the citation, “is an advocate for the so-called Untouchable caste, so they may work, live and pray as a fully integrated part of Indian life. His work in the improvement of sanitation and production of bio-gas is changing health and wealth outcomes for the poorest people and is cited as one of the Globally Best Practices by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements.” Some of the global corporate giants whose people figure in the list include Standard Chartered, Barclays, KPMG, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, WorldPay, UBS and AT Kearney. Dr. Pathak has also won The New York Global Leaders dialogue Humanitarian Award which will be presented to him on April 12, 2016 in New York. Some of the illustrious names with their citations are as follows:
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Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement “Dr. Pathak is a great humanitarian, who for decades, has enhanced the quality of life for millions of fellow human beings. He embodies our philosophy of leadership, namely, that leadership is focused on creating collaborative new space in the services of others,” New York Global Leaders Dialogue said in a statement.
President Barack Obama
President (USA)
The first African-American President of the United States is nominated for the changes he has made in health care, worker benefits, trade, and potentially, gun control. A vocal supporter of LGBT rights, racial and gender equality, Obama has presided over the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy in the armed forces and the legalisation of gay marriage, putting him at the forefront of a diversity revolution in the 21st Century.
Dr. Mohammed Yunus
Banker to the Poor (Bangladesh) Entrepreneur, economist and society leader Yunus believes: “Lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways to break out of poverty.” A ground-breaking academic of microcredit theory, his system alleviates poverty, empowers women and uplifts communities. He is recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize; the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom; and the Congressional Gold Medal.
Malala Yousufzai
Activist for Female Education, Nobel Prize Laureate (Pakistan) Despite the Taliban attack on her, Yousufazi continues her work on human rights from her base in the UK and is an inspiration to all. She champions female education and is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. Named as one of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World” by Time magazine, she won Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize and is the recipient of the 2013 Sakharov Prize.
Hillary Clinton
Former Secretary of State, (USA) American politician and one-time First Lady of the US, Clinton is currently a Presidential candidate for the 2016 election. She has a long record of liberal voting in government, and her manifesto includes diversity and equality for ethnic minorities, LGBT people and women. She has long stated that the strength of her country lies in its diversity, and could be on the verge of proving that by becoming America’s first female leader.
Angelina Jolie
Actress, Filmmaker, Humanitarian (USA) Actress, humanitarian and adoptive mum, Jolie has forged a family built on diversity and the acceptance of it. She promotes various causes, from conservation and education to women’s rights, but is most noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the UN Commissioner for Refugees, travelling to war zones and authoring notable memoirs on her learning experiences.
His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales Prince ‘Harry’ is patron of diverse charities, from the London Marathon Charitable Trust to the Invictus Games, which support rehabilitation and recovery, and generates understanding and respect for wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women. With his brother, he organised the 2007 Diana Memorial Concert. He has most recently promoted the rehabilitation of disabled former servicemen back into civilian society.
Bill Gates
Co-founder Microsoft (USA) Business magnate Bill Gates is famously the richest individual in the world, but his reputation as a philanthropic donor was cemented in 2000 when he founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focused on large-scale public projects such as health and development. So far, Gates has donated £28 billion to charity, and plans eventually to give 95% of his wealth away – setting an example for other super-rich people to follow.
His Holiness Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and has lived in exile since 1959, campaigning for autonomy for his country from China. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and has since travelled the world advocating for the welfare of Tibetans, teaching Tibetan Buddhism, and talking about the importance of compassion as the source of a happy life.
Purnima Mehta
Director General, American Institute of Indian Studies (India) Purnima Mehta has served as the Director General of the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS). Under her leadership, the AIIS provides in-country language training in 16 South Asian languages, including three of the “critical languages” designated by the U.S. Department of State. The support provided by the AIIS is one of the crucial ingredients for improving and facilitating IndoAmerican relations. SULABH INDIA
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event
A view of the 110th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh opened the 110th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hotel Le Meridien in New Delhi. He said the government has effectively dealt with the grave issue of Naxalism and insurgency in the north-east, as well as curbed attempts by divisive forces to create disharmony
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The port sector has in the last few years not registered any profit., but with the NDA Government in place, those responsible for managing ports have been told to improve their performance
“
The GDP growth rate of India as of now has reached over 7.5 per cent and with government putting in favourable economic policies in place which would be industry and business friendly, in the next few years the GDP growth rate would be in double digits.” He said the government had succeeded in striking a balance between growth and inflation but acknowledged that prices of essential commodities had risen for a while. Additional government efforts would ensure that inflation would be tamed. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar addressing the session on ‘Self Reliance in Defence Production – The Game Changer’, acknowledged the role of MSMEs in India’s economy, more so their role in defence. He said the government would bring out a comprehensive Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP) 2016 which would be to the satisfaction of India Inc. in general and MSMEs in particular. “All the stakeholders including chamber of commerce and multiple industry association are being consulted to make DPP 2016 a perfect document though perfection as such is difficult to be accomplished.” He urged the industry present to be objectively critical of the DPP so the government could take forward
The government which has struck a balance between growth and inflation admitted that prices of essential commodities has risen for a while, but additional efforts by the NDA government had succeeded in containing inflation
its vision of making India selfreliant in defence production. While addressing the Session on ‘Smart Businesses through Smart Infrastructure’, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping disclosed that in the next five years, the contribution of highways and shipping to national GDP would, from current levels, rise 2% by 2020, creating 50 lakh jobs.He said profitability of the Indian port sector by the end of current year would be around Rs. 6,000 crore, and the NDA government intended to invest more in creating assets to spur growth. In the last few decades, the port sector had not registered any profit, but the NDA government’s measures have resulted in improved performance with port managements being advised to streamline processes. Jayant Sinha, Union Minister of State for Finance, indicated that the government is likely to get rid of exemptions and rebates that it has been extending to industry and high net-worth individuals, to adjust the revenue loss that might incur on account of reduction of corporate tax from 30% to 25%. Sinha said that Indian economy has begun to look up, especially in the consumption driven sectors but is still facing challenges on the export front and agriculture due to the global slowdown and poor monsoons respectively. Otherwise, he said, economic conditions are stable and the government is committed to building capacities in infrastructure, power and other sector and ensure the growth percolates down to masses. SULABH INDIA
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event such as toilets, wash rooms and parks in her Mathura constituency, as government funds were limited.“Mathura is one place where I would like to build a theme Krishna Park for public entertainment as large numbers of devotees keep coming. It lacks public entertainment facilities and I appealed to the corporates to contribute.” She regretted that although Mathura had so many temples, civic amenities in terms of toilets, washrooms were sadly lacking.
Hema Malini at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Though Mathura has so many temples, civic amenities in terms of toilets and washrooms are sadly lacking and need to be put in place but public funds are not adequate Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak spoke on “Corporate Social Responsibility & Us”, where he urged industry to contribute liberally for the wellbeing of society and take maximum advantage of CSR incentives. He recalled his association with hygiene and sanitation programmes since the late 1960s and was hopeful that with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, the dream of Swachh Bharat would be soon realized, hopefully with contributions government, NGOs, public and private sector corporates 20 SULABH INDIA
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and other stakeholders. Dr. Pathak urged industry to go in for CSR work in clusters of areas, otherwise they could always adopt a village. Sushil Gupta, Managing Director, Asian Hotel (West) Ltd. quoted from the holy books all of which laid emphasis on cleanliness. In every age including those regarded as primitive, there was always someone seeking help to ensure public cleanliness. Hema Malini urged Indian industry to help her build public facilities
The PHD Chamber conferred the Life Time Achievement Award upon Dr. E Sreedharan for his life-long contribution in the area of public transport. The Good Corporate Citizen Award went to Dabur India Ltd, while the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social welfare was given to GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. The Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Welfare by a non-corporate was given to Smt. Prasanna Bhandari. The Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award was conferred on D.K. Aggarwal, CMD, SMC Investments and Advisors Ltd. The Outstanding Businesswoman Award to Monica Malhotra, Director, Holy Faith International Pvt. Ltd., and Award for Excellence in Skill Development was conferred on the Public Health Foundation of India. The Distinguished Entrepreneurship Award for MSMEs was given to Jitender Sodhi, Managing Director, Ayush Herbs Pvt. Ltd. and Outstanding Achiever for Exports Award for MSME was conferred on Shiv Dial Sud and Sons.
gandhism
Gandhism & Sarvodaya Sammelan The 46th Sarvodaya Samaj Sammelan was held at the Gandhi Ashram in Delhi’s Kingway Camp on November 1, 2015 ¢
Shweta Rakesh
D
r. Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder, Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, opened the sammelan, saying:“I am a product of Sarvodaya Samaj. I started my journey from the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebration Committee. Before describing my life’s journey, I want to say that Gandhiji is known to have set examples from his life and his philosophy. If you were to look at his daily life, i.e. his strict routine, his spiritual practices, the way he dressed, his food habits (he did not eat meat and drank only goat’s milk), his idea of detachment from materialism, one could say that he acquired the status of a saint. A saint is someone who is able to control his desires, respects his environment, nature, and surroundings. Hence Gandhiji was a saint. “Lots of people followed Gandhiji’s life, but a very few implemented or even understood his larger philosophy. What did he really want? Gandhiji attached great importance to the plight of Harijans. He longed for a society where the scavengers were liberated and the untouchables were given their human rights. For the welfare of the economy, he wanted to promote khadi and cottage industries, and basic education for all.
“What is important is how I implemented the philosophy of Gandhiji. The point that I am trying to drive at is that in order to make Gandhiji’s philosophy relevant and popular, we need to use our wisdom and apply his philosophy in such a way that people can relate to it in their day-to-day lives. I realized that we cannot get rid of the caste system. But discrimination against the lower caste can be stopped by society. I demonstrated that in two towns in Rajasthan. I took up a five-fold programme there to restore the human rights and dignity of the untouchables and bring them into mainstream society. I was able to empower and bring dignity to the untouchables of the two towns of Rajasthan–Alwar and Tonk.” He said: “Dear friends, I cannot appoint women leaders to the post of President of India, but at Sulabh we have appointed Smt. Usha Chaumar, a former untouchable woman as our president. I would also like to say I used Gandhiji’s principle
A saint is someone who is able to control his desires, respects his environment, nature, and surroundings. Hence Gandhiji was a saint
of non-violence in order to remove untouchability from its very roots. I wanted to break the concept of ‘twice born.’ I believe that with persistence, determination and strong leadership, we can face all challenges and eradicate or reform many unjust practices in our society.” In conclusion he noted: “Che Guevara got freedom for Cuba by violence but when he came to India in 1959, he accepted the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and said if you work against the oppressors they will crush the oppressed. Therefore it is better to bring change in society by non-violence rather than violence. Truthfulness, non-violence, honesty, integrity, ethics, morality coupled with vision, mission, commitment, capability, action and efficiency are some of the ingredients of the philosophy I follow. God helps those who help someone. I believe in Swami Vivekananda’s words. ‘They alone live who live for others.’ I also believe in the Gandhian philosophy, ‘An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.’ And lastly I want to remind you of what John F. Kennedy declared in his inaugural address: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.’ SULABH INDIA
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Focus open
forum
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak addressing the officers and trainees of the Haryana Institute of Public Administration
Vision foR India:
Free of open
defecation “
Our basic challenge is to build 12 crore household toilets by 2019, besides constructing toilets in all schools and public toilets in urban centres. We should begin with a vigorous cultural campaign for sanitation through all means of communication, in which the lead should come from the government agencies and the
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mass media”, said Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, addressing officers and the trainees of the Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Gurgaon, on the subject ‘How to Make India Free from Open Defecation by 2019 – A Dream Project of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’. Dr. Pathak said he proposes to
India has a huge pool of unemployed educated youth; many of them are also eager to do something socially meaningful. It should be no problem to recruit the required trainee motivators
raise and train a nationwide cadre of roughly 2,50,000 sanitation motivators who will build mass awareness about the need for toilets and advise people how to maintain them properly. The motivators will supervise construction of individual household toilets and function as a link between the beneficiary, panchayat members and the financial institutions so that the programme is properly planned, implemented and the toilet utilization progresses smoothly. India has a huge pool of unemployed educated youth; many of them are also eager to do something socially meaningful. It should be no problem to recruit the required trainee motivators. For this a productive partnership with business houses and NGOs must be forged. He noted that India has 690 districts, 5,924 blocks, 2.5 lakh panchayats and 6,40,867 villages. To convince and bring along the masses for toilet construction, we need one motivator for each panchayat. This means we need roughly 2,50,000 motivators, who should be given Rs. 2,000 each for motivation, education, communication, implementation, maintenance and follow-up. These motivators will have to be properly trained for carrying out their assigned task.
Dr. Pathak proposes to raise and train a nationwide cadre of roughly 2,50,000 sanitation motivators who will build mass awareness about the need for toilets and advise people how to maintain them properly
Alongside the motivators, we will need to employ 5 lakh masons to build the toilets. To recruit and train 2,50,000 motivators and 5,00,000 masons will take time. But this must be accomplished by March 2016, Dr. Pathak said. Thus, we have just three years to do all the work. To meet the targets, 250,000 motivators will have to build 50 lakh toilets in a month, 6 crore toilets in a year and 18 crore toilets in three years in view of the increase in population. The money required to accomplish this mammoth task will be Rs. 3,30,000 crore. In this mission the role of NGOs and the motivators will be critical. NGOs working in tandem with the motivators will ensure that goals are achieved according to the expenditure shown. Their role will also be to take technology to the beneficiary, and ensure that dry latrines are replaced wherever they are and new toilets constructed where there are none. In the verification of physical targets being achieved, the system of reply paid postcard can be introduced whereby the beneficiary informs that the toilet has been constructed, also mentioning the defect, if any, so that the construction agency (the NGO) can set right the defect. The NGO can also give guarantee for a given period of time for cost-free defect removal. Sulabh has practiced this system successfully over the years. Recently, nearly 12,000 toilets in rural areas of Punjab have been built on this basis in the district of Ludhiana in collaboration with Bharti Foundation. SULABH INDIA
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FESTIVAL
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, Amola Pathak, Kumar Dilip and Nitya Pathak at the Chhath Prayer SULABH INDIA
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Chhath Celebrations ¢
Dr.Mani Bhushan Mishra
S
un worship was common to most ancient religions of the world. In Egypt the Sun god Ra was worshipped. As a mighty visible force of nature the Sun has been accepted as an entity revered and granted the stature of divinity. In India too, particularly Bihar, eastern UP, Jharkhand and parts of Nepal, Chhath Pooja (falling on the sixth day of the Indian month of Kartik i.e. October and November), is observed with sincere devotion. Chhath Pooja has been a regular function in Dr. Pathak’s family and as in earlier days, it was celebrated at his residence in Hauz Khas with fasting and all the rituals.The lawns of his bungalow was decorated with flowers and banana trunks, there were devotional songs and music. On Nov. 16 Mrs. Amola Pathak began the rituals after a bath and a vegetarian meal of rice, pumpkin, bitter gourd, milk etc (Kharna). All those present were offered prasad, with Nandini Jha and her team from the Music Section of Sulabh providing the devotional accompaniment. On Nov. 17 after observing fast and performing Pooja for the whole day Mrs. Pathak took the ritual dip in the water body arranged in the lawn helped by her daughter, son, d aughterin-law and of course Dr. Pathak. Standing in the water up to her knees, she made offerings or Arghya to the setting Sun in the west. Pandits recited shlokas from Aditya Stotra eulogizing the Sun god. All the members of the Sulabh family including functionaries, workers, liberated scavenger women and widows of Vrindavan, participated. The next day the rising Sun was worshipped, again with Arghya after bath and prayer. After the worship Mrs. Pathak applied vermillion in the parted hair of married women and on the foreheads of men. Prasad was distributed thereafter to one and all present on the occasion.
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award
Sat Paul Mittal National Award to
Usha Chaumar
The precious legacy and the crusading enthusiasm of Mr. Mittal towards the cause of creating awareness on issues concerning human survival and population problems will be cherished by one and all
N
ehru Sidhant Kendra Trust celebrated the 126th Birth Anniversary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on Nov. 3, 2015. Students from various schools and colleges and eminent citizens attended the function with great enthusiasm. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Punjab Irrigation Minister as chief guest paid floral tributes to India’s first prime minister. Rakesh Bharti Mittal highlighted the contributions of the trust (of which he is president) in various fields for the uplift and amelioration of suffering humanity. The Sat Paul Mittal National Award for outstanding service to humanity was instituted by the trust in memory of its founder presidentof the same name. He was actively involved in the uplift of the poor and the downtrodden and a great builder of institutions. In 1987 he was awarded the United Nations Peace Medal for 30 SULABH INDIA 26
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his outstanding contribution in the field of population and development. A total of 1067 Nehru Scholarships and Mittal Panday Scholarship (Girls) was distributed to students at the Nehru Sidhant Kendra. The Sat Paul Mittal National Award was presented to Prof. Anand Kumar from Patna and Baba Aya Singh Riarki College, Gurdaspur for outstanding service to humanity. The Sat Paul Mittal Award of appreciation was presented to Dr. Pradeep Bhardwaj and Usha Chaumar. Once a manual scavenger,
Usha Chaumar has also been honoured by the President of India. She symbolizes a generation that stands tall above all barriers of caste, class and creed
she started working along with her mother at the age of seven and faced appalling hardships. She was married at the tender age of ten. Fortune smiled when she was admitted to the Nai Disha training centre run by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. There she learnt to make pickles, papads, noodles, and was able to increase her income from Rs. 300 per month to Rs. 3000 per month. She later gave up scavenging and charted her own course in life. Today, she provides leadership to others and her hard work and drive has seen her rise to president of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation. She has learnt English and even took part in a fashion show at the UN. Chaumar has also been honoured by the President of India. She symbolizes a generation that stands tall above all barriers of caste, class and creed.
DOING GOOD GREAT: 13 Asian Heroes and their causes
Willie Cheng, Sharifah Mohamed and Cheryl Tang
D
r. Bindeshwar Pathak was invited to attend the launch of the book “Doing Good Great” by Willie Cheng, Sharifah Mohamed and Cheryl Tang on Nov. 8 at the Art House in Singapore, on the occasion of the Singapore Writers Festival. He also participated in the panel discussion and recalled his experience of overcoming several odds. The book is about the outstanding contributions of 13 extraordinary individuals from Asia in tackling pressing social issues such as poverty, corruption, child prostitution, slums, toilets, human rights, media
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with Braema Mathi, Masue Katayama and Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
freedom etc. The book narrates the supreme courage, determination and path-breaking initiatives of these ‘real life heroes’ who have made great sacrifices to improve the lives of others. Other participants included social entrepreneurs Braema Mathi of Singapore, Masue Katayama of the Social Welfare Corporation, Japan and Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder and chairman of BRAC, Bangladesh. Dr. Pathak congratulated the authors for their common passion for social innovation which brought them together to write the seminal work.
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27
WORLD TOILET DAY
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FOCUS Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak addressing the Workshop
WHO
Regional Workshop
Views of the Workshop
Views of the Workshop
Forty-five representatives of NGOs from India and Bhutan working in the field of disability rehabilitation and empowerment participated in the WHO Regional Workshop
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D
r. Bindeshwar Pathak was the guest of honour at the inaugural session ofthe WHO Regional Workshop on Capacity Building, organized by the Centre for Rehabilitation and Advancement of Disabled (CRADLE) on Nov. 26 in Delhi. The participants were the managers of NGOs from South East Asia. Dr. Pathak shared his experience in making Sulabh self-sustainable. Forty-five representatives of NGOs from India and Bhutan working in the field
of disability rehabilitation and empowerment participated in the workshop, at which United Nations Information Centre NIO Rajiv Chandran, conducted a session on the working of the complex UN system and how NGOs could be affiliated with the world body. Chandran explained the working of UNHQ and the Country Team in India and how NGOs could team up with UN-DPI and ECOSOC. He made a strong case for UNNGO partnership especially in the field of disability.
innovation
School boy invents mini-sensor for the blind Dr. Pathak spoke at the ‘Heroes Speak’ function by DOCC, an SP Jain Institute of Management and Research initiative in Mumbai on 26 September
flah Madasseri of Class VIII in Malappuram, Kerala, would see his blind English teacher everyday struggling hard to walk on the road with a stick and wondered how he could help him. When he reached Class XI he read about ray optics and an idea struck him to develop a gadget that informs a blind person if there is any obstacle on his path.
A
“I put my heart and soul into developing a ‘blind torch’,” said Aflah (18), who passed Class XII last year. The gadget (almost the size of a mobile) that helps a blind person sense what is in front of him, has been selected as the second best in the ‘Innovative India Contest’
organized by the Kerala Government as part of its scheme to promote start-ups in the State. “When a blind person is walking if there is an obstruction within one metre, sensors in the device will start vibrating as a warning signal,” Aflah said.
I put my heart and soul into developing a ‘blind torch’,” said Aflah (18), who passed Class XII last year
He was felicitated at the Young Entrepreneurs Summit 2015 organized by the Kerala government recently. “We found his work was not only just innovative but also had social relevance. It was an effort by a young mind to bring the blind into the mainstream and make their lives better that won our heart,” said M. Beena, Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC). SULABH INDIA
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In Conversation
Vijay Chadda
CEO, Bharti Foundation
In Conversation with Ashok Kumar Jyoti
Sulabh has been a pioneer in the field of sanitation and was selected based on their experience and expertise in this area Why do you believe every rural household must have a toilet? How did you initiate the Satya Bharti Abhiyan? The ‘Satya Bharti Abhiyan’ was initiated in response to the prime minister’s call to improve sanitation facilities in rural Ludhiana. The 2011 census showed that 13% of Ludhiana had no access to toilets in rural areas. This is not a major 32 SULABH INDIA
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embarrassment for women but has implications for the wider problem of rural hygiene and sanitation. Bharti Foundation identified individual households where sanitation could be improved and worked out a sustainable action plan. Do you believe that for the holistic development of our nation, sanitation is critical?
Poor sanitation affects the quality of life of individuals and communities in many ways: General well-being affected: Open defecation leads to infant deaths, impedes the physical and cognitive development of surviving children and reduces the human capital of India’s workforce. Poor sanitation releases germs into the
environment which harm the rich and poor alike—even those who practice good sanitation. Globally, 2.5 billion people still lack basic sanitation such as toilets or latrines. About 1.5 million children die each year—5,000 every day—from diarrhoea, which is preventable through proper sanitation and improved hygiene. Seven out of ten people without improved sanitation live in rural areass. Loss to GDP: “The Economic Impact of Inadequate Sanitation in India”, a report bythe World Bank has estimated the economic loss due to inadequate sanitation as equivalent to 6.4 per cent of India’s GDP in 2006 ie $53.8 billion (Rs.2.4 trillion). Investment in sanitation has large returns: Every dollar spent on sanitation yields about $9 in savings on treatment, health-care costs and gains from more productive days. Why was Ludhiana your area of focus? Our promoters belong to Ludhiana and wanted to give back to their place of origin.
of sanitation and was selected based on their experience and expertise in this area. What is your view about the Sulabh Twin Pit Pour Flush toilet? We have chosen the “Twin-Pit Pour-Flush” technology which is cost effective compared to other technologies. It provides two pits,used alternately thus enabling long and sustained usage of the facility. It has a low maintenance requirement and repair can be done locally. It is a good model for rural areas where no central waste disposal systems are available. It has a high potential for upgrade and can be easily connected to sewers. There is no bad smell nor is any human waste thrown into the environment.
Why do rural households lack toilets? In Ludhiana, households lack toilets for many reasons including poverty, which prevents people from investing in toiletsand increases their dependence on government; householdslack space for toilets; there are open areas for defecation and prevalent notions militate against toilets at home. Bharti Foundation is running a number of schools in rural areas. How do you keep them clean? Bharti Foundation runs over 254 schools across the country, wherein we have separate toilets for boys and girls. Maintaining hygiene in school premises is of utmost importance. Toilets in schools are cleaned on a
The ‘Satya Bharti Abhiyan’ was initiated in response to the prime minister’s call to improve sanitation facilities in rural Ludhiana
We have also been running a large number of schools in Ludhiana district since 2006 and therefore understand the area and have a good connect with the community – which is crucial for the success of such a large-scale programme. What hurdles did you face? Accuracy and authenticity of available data was a prime challenge. This was overcome by following a transparent process involving inputs from the government, the panchayats and first-hand surveys. The beneficiaries names were also prominently displayed along with the name and contact details of the village sarpanch, our implementing partner and our team members. Why did you select Sulabh International Social Service Organisation for building toilets? Sulabh has been a pioneer in the field SULABH INDIA
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In Focus Conversation
Bharti Foundation is also constructing separate toilet blocks for girls in 14 government schools where no separate toilet is currently available
daily basis with cleaning agents, as per a set process which is strictly adhered to and a staff member are made responsible for the same. In our senior secondary schools, where we have larger enrolments, we involve the student council to ensure compliance of the process. Strict monitoring iscarried on a regular basis to ensure cleanliness.
curriculum. Children are oriented to the practice of the“5S” i.e. Sorting Out, Systematic Arrangement, Stay Clean, Standard Practice and Spread Awareness.
Will you teach sanitation as a subject to the students of your schools?
Students of Satya Bharti School organize and participate invarious awareness events, including health and hygiene across states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.Efforts of children have been appreciated at various levels.
At schools of the Bharti Foundation, health and hygiene including sanitation is already part of the
Is Bharti Foundation involved in the government’s Namami Gange initiative?
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Bharti Foundation has education as its prime focus, also our ongoing sanitation project and we are fully committed in Ludhiana district. We want to ensure every household has a toilet. Your reaction to Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak’s award of Rs.25 lakh to Bharti Foundation for building toilets in Ludhiana? I am humbled by the decision to confer the “Sulabh Swachh Award” on Bharti Foundation. We are proud of our team members who have worked hard to make this possible. What are Bharti Foundation’s future plans? We currently are focusing on Ludhiana district. Apart from toilets in homes, Bharti Foundation is also constructing separate toilet blocks for girls in 14 government schools where no separate toilet is currently available.
Poetry
Aim of Life Deepika
(Student, Cutting and Tailoring Trade) Sulabh Vocational Training Centre)
Twinkling Stars Maosina
(Student, Cutting and Sewing, Trade, Sulabh Vocational Training Centre)
I look up at the stars as they look down on me. They tell me a story that I cannot perceive. They speak of fortunes blemished far beyond belief. They shine in their glory no wailing at all
Everyone in this world Young and old Rich or poor For sure To succeed in life Must have an aim A man without any fixed purpose Serves no cause Like a ship without rudder Drifts apart here and there Near and far At the mercy of the wind of destiny Lives and ends life helpless Powerless to control its course, Philosophy means nothing to control its course, Without a discourse And breaks down at little strife Aim at something that guide your actions Regulate your conduct for the better
They twinkle with perfection Unlike my day dream, full of flawless fantasies. If all the people around the world shine like stars we’d have no fighting And peace will prevail They speak of the times When men have fought and despised They cry out from the sky as love is not realized. They speak with angelic rhyme but rue man’s evil They question and wonder why Man is so unwise. SULABH INDIA
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FOCUS
Sulabh School Sanitation Club members along with Kinjal Singh, District Magistrate and Pallavi, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Lakhimpur Kheri, at the inauguration programme
Tribal Rejuvenation in Lakhimpur Kheri ¢
Samikshya Das Mohapatra
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he Tharu tribe is indigenous to India and Nepal. In India they live mostly in Champaran district of Bihar and Udham Singh Nagar of Uttrakhand, Kheri, Pilibhit, Gonda, Balrampur, Gorakhpur, and Bahraich districts of Uttar Pradesh. They are recognized as Scheduled Tribes by the Government of India. The Tharus live a simple life and are known for their honesty, a point which sociologists and anthropologists agree on. The Tharus believe in ‘vrata and upvas’ but do not know Hindu rites of Yoga or Homa. Tharu culture is very ecofriendly, all cultural activities and beliefs are linked to nature. However, their levels of sanitation, health and access to clean water is low. In Lakhimpur Kheri, their population is around 42,000 and they live in an area surrounded by the Dudhwa 36 SULABH INDIA
November 2015
Most Tharu villagers preferred to work in the fields rather than attend Sulabh awareness programmes. But through motivational and informative songs, dances, and short plays on sanitation and hygiene, the club members managed to pull the villagers to attend such programmes and motivated them as well National Park. It makes them one of the most isolated and backward communities in Uttar Pradesh. Tharu villages are located almost 100 km from the district headquarters and the
government’s presence is minimal in this region. There is the widespread problem of human trafficking, smuggling, and illegal deforestation. In order to bring this community into the mainstream, a holistic development programme was launched by Kinjal Singh, IAS, District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri. The programme focused on socio-economic empowerment and skill development of the community by focusing on their women. It also emphasized on farming skills, health care, introduced them to modern banking etc. Sanitation and personal hygiene was another important focus area of this programme with the Sulabh School Sanitation Club invited to plan and undertake a series of sanitation drives in areas where Tharus lived. A group of 20 volunteers and officials from the Sulabh School
Sanitation Club camped for a week in Lakhimpur Kheri to conduct awareness and motivation campaigns in eight villages. Door-to-door campaigns were held, also nukkad nataks and participatory workshops were conducted. It was found that most of the Tharu villagers preferred to work in the fields rather than attend these programmes. But persistence paid off and through motivational and informative songs, dances, and short plays on sanitation and hygiene, club members managed to get some of the villagers to attend. They were informed about basic personal hygiene, why toilets and how to build and use them etc. The audience comprised children, adults, women and the elderly. Some were active and some were passive participants. Children were the most active group in the audience. The Sulabh team built a good rapport with the children, making them comfortable with the environment. A rally was organized with 250 Tharu school children taking part. They walked 10 km trying to build awareness amongst the villagers. The rally was led by the District Magistrate herself. During the campaign Sulabh Club volunteers went door to door explaining the importance of hand washing, toilets and demonstrating the steps of hand washing. They tried to reach everyone in the village. At Balera village, the volunteers had a good interaction with the women of the village, especially with a group of youngsters seeking their views about the development and welfare of the village.
Door-to-door campaign by the Club members at Poya village
The Sulabh School Sanitation Club members interacted with village girls to understand common terms related to menstrual hygiene. The programme started with a play to introduce the topic. The play was based on taboos related to menstruation and society attitudes A workshop on Menstrual Hygiene Management was organised in Eklavya Residential School in which 67 girls participated. The Sulabh School Sanitation Club members interacted with some
Rally by Club members and school students led by Kinjal Singh, DM, Lakhimpur Kheri
girls of the village to know some common terms they used related to menstrual hygiene (they used MC for menstruation). The programme started with a play to introduce the topic. The play was based on taboos related to menstruation and the perspective of the society towards it. Proceeding further, the students were divided into six groups. After a brainstorming session with each group to know their experience of first menstruation, taboos associated with it, what they used during menstruation and what were the problems they faced, the team returned with some good and some odd responses. At the end some of the volunteers demonstrated yoga asans to be practiced during menstruation. At the end, feedback was taken from the girls about the workshop. Many confided they had very little idea about menstruation and this workshop proved useful. They also got a platform to discuss their problems which they were generally not able to with family or teachers and even friends. A drawing competition for the school students was organised in which 100 students participated. The topic was “ADARSH GRAM�. For some Adarsh Gram is a village with toilets, schools and clean water and for others it was a house with electricity. The best paintings were then awarded prizes and certificates. SULABH INDIA
November 2015
37
Festival
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak with the widows at Vrindavan
Diwali Diyas Bring Cheer to
Vrindavan Widows ¢
Sunita Sharma
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n Nov. 10, Kesi Ghat in Vrindavan wore a festive look as 1,000 widows lit diyas to disperse the darkness in their lives. The widows painted and decorated all six ashrams with rangoli. Celebrations at Kesi Ghat included lighting of ‘phul-jhadi.’ “With an aim to bring a ray of happiness in their twilight years, we have come up with this unique idea of the festival of lights for the widows,” said Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. This is the third year in a row that the event was organised by Sulabh, which has also been celebrating Holi with the widows, besides arranging visits to Kolkata and Delhi during Dussehra. Sulabh organizes several other functions from time to time for the widows. It also provides them medical facilities and vocational training, besides meeting their day-to-day needs so that they are not left to fend for themselves in their twilight years.
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From the Press
EXPRESS TV.IN November 5, 2015
Bindeshwar Pathak in Global Diversity List New Delhi: Noted Indian social reformer and founder of NGO Sulabh, Bindeshwar Pathak, has been included in “The Global Diversity List” of 50 top world personalities by The Economist. Others in the list, which recognises the achievements of individuals “who have used their position in public life to make an impact in diversity” include US President Barak Obama, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Spiritual guru the Dalai Lama and Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai. Pathak has been recognised as a “humanist, social reformer and diversity champion”. “Pathak works as an advocate for the so called ‘untouchable’ caste, so they may work, live and pray as a fully integrated part of Indian life. His work in the improvement of sanitation and production of biogas is changing health and wealth outcomes for the poorest people and is cited as one of the Globally Best Practice by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements”, says the citation. Another Indian in list is Purnima Mehta, director general of the American Institute of Indian Studies. “The Global Diversity List”, a comprehensive guide to the individuals who are putting diversity
at the heart of human resources within the world’s biggest organisations, is the first assessment of individuals and companies with outstanding commitment to diversity nominated by readers of “The Economist”. “The list marks a seminal moment for the diversity profession, by publicly recognising the world’s most influential, innovative and creative diversity professionals in one comprehensive list for the first time. The list sets the benchmark of exceptional performance in the profession today and creates the role models for the diversity professionals of tomorrow,” said member of the Global Diversity List’s Advisory Panel, Mark Palmer-Edgecumbe, former head of diversity at Google for Europe, Middle East & Africa. The aim of “The Global Diversity List” is “to create the definitive global diversity standard that covers every strand of diversity, in every country, in the world”. Several thousand nominations were received from every corner of the planet. “The Global Diversity List” was ratified by an independent panel of assessment of individuals and companies demonstrating a concrete commitment to diversity.
The list has been welcomed by global corporate giants with many of them becoming founding partners. Companies including Standard Chartered, Barclays, KPMG, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, WorldPay, UBS and AT Kearney have joined this elite group. (IANS)
Pathak works as an advocate for the so called ‘untouchable’ caste, so they may work, live and pray as a fully integrated part of Indian life - The Citation SULABH INDIA
November 2015
HEALTH
Diabetes Linked to Lifestyle
There are ways of naturally controlling diabetes by incorporating changes in one’s lifestyle. One can gradually reduce dependence on medication under doctor’s guidance
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iabetes was often referred to as the “rich man’s disease” because it is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. The good news is there are ways of naturally controlling diabetes and by incorporating changes in one’s lifestyle, one can gradually reduce dependence on medication under doctor’s guidance.
Go Vegetarian: Some studies have shown that people who switched to a vegetarian diet were able to control their sugar levels especially in the case of Type- 2 diabetes. Thus, diabetics should include cereals like corn, oatmeal, millet, barley; legumes like beans and peas and vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, methi (fenugreek), green beans and bitter gourd. Exercise: Diabetes has oft been linked with obesity, so it naturally 40 SULABH INDIA
November 2015
follows that if you are active and lose weight you should be able to control your sugar levels. The main reason is that while exercising, your body uses glucose reserves for energy thus reducing sugar levels in the bloodstream. Exercise also comes with additional benefits of lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and a better physique.
It is important to control your stress levels either by yoga or meditation as stress is associated with a very negative impact on health especially on diabetics. Relax and get a good night’s sleep along with your exercise routine and diet plan
Hydration: Almost 70% of an adult human body comprises water; which makes it the most important component of our body. Water also helps regulate blood sugar levels. Fruits and Nuts: One may think that fruits contain sugar and so should not be a part of a diabetic’s diet, but fruits like oranges, grapes, lemons, berries and sweet limecontain insulin, which helps control blood sugar levels naturally. Just steer clear of bananas, watermelons and pineapples. Nuts are also perceived to be fattening, but they are an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium which help in regulating blood sugar. It is also important to control stress levels either by yoga or meditation. Relax and get a good night’s sleep and pretty soon your doctor may be advising you to cut down on medications. Yes, diabetes is a lifestyle disease so a lifestyle change can beat it.
Science Science
Fourth state of matter When we talk about state of matter, it is not just solids, liquids, gases, and maybe plasmas that we have to think about. We also have to consider the more obscure states that don’t occur in nature, but are rather created in the lab
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cientists claim to have discovered a new state of matter in a material that appears to be an insulator, superconductor metal and magnet all rolled into one, paving the way for development of more effective high-temperature superconductors. The new state of matter will allow scientists to better understand why some materials have the potential to achieve superconductivity at a relatively high critical temperature (Tc) –“high” as in–135 C as opposed to–243.2 C. Because superconductivity allows a material to conduct electricity without resistance, which means no heat, sound or any other form of energy release. When we talk about state of matter, it is not just solids, liquids, gases, and maybe plasmas that we have to think about. We also have to consider the more obscure states that don’t occur in nature, but are rather created in the lab. By introducing rubidium into carbon-60 molecules, more commonly known as ‘buckyballs’, 32
a team of scientists led by Kosmas Prassides from Tohoku University in Japan, was able to change the distance between them, which forced them into a new, crystalline structure. When put through an array of tests, this structure displayed a combination of insulating, superconducting, metallic, and magnetic phases, including a brand new one, which the researchers have named ‘Jahn-Teller metals’. Named after the Jahn-Teller effect, which is used in chemistry to describe how at low pressures, the geometric arrangement of molecules and ions in an electronic state can become distorted, this new state of matter allows scientists to transform an insulator, which can’t conduct electricity, into a conductor by simply applying pressure. This is what the rubidium atoms do: apply pressure. Usually when we think about adding pressure, we think in terms of squeezing something, forcing its molecules closer together by brute force. But it’s possible to do the same thing chemically, tweaking the distance between molecules by
adding or subtracting some sort of barrier between them–sneaking in some extra atoms, perhaps. What happens in a Jahn-Teller metal is that as pressure is applied, and as what was previously an insulatorthanks to the electricity-distorting Jahn-Teller effect-becomes a metal, the effect persists for a while. The molecules hang on to their old shapes. So, there is an overlap of sorts, where the material still looks an awful lot like an insulator, but the electrons also manages to hop around as freely as if the material were a conductor. And it is this transition phase between insulator and conductor that until now scientists have never seen before, that hints at the possibility of transforming insulating materials into super-valuable superconducting materials. And this buckyball crystalline structure appears to be able to do it at a relatively high Tc. The relationship between the parent insulator, the normal metallic state above Tc, and the superconducting pairing mechanism is a key question in understanding all unconventional superconductors. SULABH INDIA
November 2015
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Science
Rise and Fall of Fountain Pens
Lewis Edson Waterman, the father of modern fountain pen, once lost a valuable contract because he had a leaking pen and a blob of ink soiled the contract document. So Waterman invented the device which was a radical improvement over the old stylus. In the twenties and thirties, a good fountain pen was a status symbol and the concept was it is not only what you sign, but what you sign it with. While the modern fad for disposable ball-points has gripped, clearly fountain pens are coming back with style and status ¢
Arun Bhattacharjee
T
he year 1993 is the 110th year since Waterman devised a special feed which slowed down the ink and prevented the pen from leaking. This simple invention in 1883 marked the birth of the modern fountain pen. In its 110-year history the fountain pen has probably reached both the zenith and nadir of its popularity. In the twenties and thirties a good pen was very much the jewel in everyone’s breast pocket or bag, while in the sixties and seventies our disposable society lived so much for the moment that the last thing its citizens wanted was an everlasting pen. Things have not changed much even in the 90s in India; over and above the disposable
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pens we have acquired the test for disposable nappies for children, disposable milk cartons and so on. While we are still faithfully latching on to the disposable era, in the West fountain pen are outselling ball-points and roller balls. People are buying both vintage (pre-Second World War) and modern models as a way of establishing their individuality. For the pen, analysts will tell you, has the same emblematic function as the car, the watch and cologne, all are highly indicative of character. Says Andreas Lambrou, managing director of Classic Pens and author of Fountain Pens,
Vintage and Modern: “Perhaps people are buying them as a show of defiance. Signing away hard-earned cash is always an unwelcome experience but doing it with a $600 Pelican Toledo or a $5,000 Waterman’s Man 100 in 18ct. gold, might be slightly less demoralizing than using the aesthetically-uninspiring (but completely functional) bit of plastic tethered to the bank counter”. Fountain pens do inspire great emotion in their owners and people will go to great lengths to preserve an exhausted pen which has perhaps covered more words than Oxford Dictionary in one’s lifetime. Such sentimentality and nostalgia Western manufacturers of fountain pens currently exploit by reproducing pens from 1920s and 1930s – such as Parker’s Duofold Continental, and Waterman’s Man 100 Patrician. Both the pens were originally made in the halcyon days of the Art Deco period, and are as popular now with women as they are with men. In Europe today, the sex barriers in pens have vanished. A female manager would rather buy a large Mont Blanc-149 perhaps because it gives her power whereas a man will possibly buy the slickest streamlined pen. One theory for the return of the pen is computers. Although a computer printout is fine and computers have made life easier, at the same time people now want a personal touch and
are developing new interest in real writing - writing as a skill. According to some of the manufacturers I talked to in London and Paris, when people do get the opportunity for writing something by hand, they want to use a high quality product which will put individuality and style into whatever they are writing. The former chief minister of West Bengal, Dr. B.C. Roy, used to sign with a yellow Parker. Similarly Nehru had his own favourites, so did Subhas Chandra Bose who even as the Mayor of Calcutta Corporation, used to sign with a Waterman and Parker. One will be surprised to know how much research has gone into making state- of-the-art pens. For instance, the Fisher Space Pen is a brilliant piece of design, developed for use in outer space by astronauts. It writes instantly in any position at temperatures up to 400 degree Fahrenheit and is now being used in all manned space flights. It looks like a silver bullet and has a clean smooth touch.
Politics of Pens Certain models of fountain pens have become part of the political history which brought about major changes in the world scenario. For instance, Lloyd George signed the Treaty of Versailles with a solid gold Waterman. General MacArthur
signed the Japanese surrender during the Second World War in 1945, (after the atom bomb was dropped), with a Parker Duofold. Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan used specially customized Parker-75 pens to sign the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987 and Boris YeItsin signed away Soviet sovereignty with a Parker Duofold in 1992. When Ronald Reagan and Gorbachev signed the IRBM Treaty, the Parkercompany produced only four Parker 75s; one for each leader, one for the Parker Museum and the fourth one was destroyed. Even Bush’s major adversary during his presidency, President Saddam Hussain of Iraq. preferred Parker and Pelican for signing documents – the only common bond between two. Earlier, in India like other countries there was resistance against ballpoint or roller pens. Even the banks and the court did not accept ball-point signatures as valid. Teachers complained that students’ handwritings were becoming bad because the ball-points and roller pens slip easily. In a country where pathshalas predominated in rural India and students wrote on palm leaves until the 1930s, the use of roller pens was an unacceptable revolution. As the Indian entrepreneurs found profit in this business plastics became the main instrument for signatures.
Pen has starts, Ball-point has none In the old days, even in India pens were family heirlooms, passing on from father to son and some of the collectors of old fountain pens can today make a good fortune in the European market or even in India at the Sotheby’s auction. Status-conscious Europeans today feel that it is not what you say, but the pen with which you write, reveals your true status. Like in the old days, the Bond Street tailors are suggesting along with the handkerchief that matches your tie and jacket, what pen you should have to go with that particular suit. Of course there is a wide range of choices but topping the list were Parker, Mont Blanc, Pelican, Swan, Sheaffer, Waterman, Pilot FK etc. SULABH INDIA
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Distinguished Guests 30th OCTOBER, 2015
A group of 18 MBBS students along with two supervisors - Dr. Revathy, Junior faculty and Amit, MSW, from the Army College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on an educational tour studying the various activities and technologies of Sulabh. They showed keen interest in each and every section of the Sulabh Campus including the Sulabh Public School, the Sulabh International Museum of toilets, the biogas plant, etc.
31st OCTOBER, 2015
A group of 80 students along with their teachers Shalini, Madhu, Ekta, Preeti, Alka, Seema and Pooja - from DAV Model School, N.D. Block, Pitampura, New Delhi, were impressed with the models of the Sulabh “Twin-Pit Pour-Flush Toilet” as well as the museum which has rare collections detailing the evolution of toilets from 2500 BC.
03rd NOVEMBER, 2015
Nidu Pavitra, Former minister, Arunachal Pradesh, Marina Nido, Chairman, Women Welfare Society, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. Shashi Narayana, a professional in social development working for women empowerment, Vinod R. Bansal, Rambabu Singh, Vijay Laxmi and a group of 46 B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing Students along with two faculty members – Raj Rani Gaur (Lecturer) and Mary Hongsha (Lecturer) from L.H.M.C. & College of Nursing – on their visit to the Sulabh Campus seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.
03rd NOVEMBER, 2015
A group of 15 residents and interns from Lady Hardinge Medical College (L.H.M.C.) on their visit to the Sulabh Campus, seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.
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05th NOVEMBER, 2015
Rohit, Reporter from Drug Today Medical Times, a monthly health journal, New Delhi, observing a Sulabh toilet model during his visit to the Sulabh Campus.
07th NOVEMBER, 2015
A group of students undergoing 1st year ANM & GNM course under the Indian Nursing Council from Salokaya College of Nursing, Rohini, and their coordinators – Chitra, Jyoti, Preeti, Khushboo, Satya and Sheetal – seen at the Sulabh Sanitary Napkin Unit of the Sulabh Vocational Training Centre
09th NOVEMBER, 2015
Ipshita Das, Master in Sustainable Development Practice, TERI University, New Delhi and also Councillor, Purple Audacity along with Mukul Gautam of Purple Audacity watching the various exhibits at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets.
14th NOVEMBER, 2015
Dr. Narendra D. Desai, Chairman, Apar Industries, Mumbai, and S.C. Maity, General Manager, Corporate Services, Apar Industries, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus seen with former scavengers.
SULABH INDIA
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Distinguished Guests 21st NOVEMBER, 2015
A group of 20 students drawn from different countries studying in Amity University, Haryana, led by their seniors namely Rumki Bandyopadhyaya and Dr. Dipendu, on a visit to the Sulabh Campus seen with the members of the Sulabh family.
23rd NOVEMBER, 2015
A group of probationers of the Indian Defence Accounts Service along with some staff of the reputed NGO, Courage Home, New Delhi, seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and the liberated Scavenger women of Alwar and Tonk (Rajasthan) at the Sulabh Campus.
24th NOVEMBER, 2015
Chandru Mirchandani, CEO from Tripitak Marketing (P) Ltd., Pune, and Ms. Rita Jalali, Resident Scholar, American University, Center on Health, Risk & Society Department of Sociology, USA, seen at the Sulabh Water ATM.
26th NOVEMBER, 2015
60 students of the Health & Sanitary Inspectors course from the National Industrial Training Centre, New Delhi on an educational tour, seen at the Sulabh Public School.
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26th NOVEMBER, 2015
Gaurav Kumar Singh, IAS, Chattisgarh, Shubham Saxena, IAS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha and Gajendra Tyagi, Manager, Airport Authority of India, were accorded a hearty welcome by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak to the Sulabh Campus.
27th NOVEMBER, 2015
Geeta Deswal, instructor along with 60 students (Health & Sanitary Inspector’s course) of the National Industrial Training Centre, New Delhi, on an educational tour seen with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak on the Sulabh Campus.
27th NOVEMBER, 2015
Motoko Aso, Editor, Gekkan Chalo, a Japanese Magazine, while on a visit to the Sulabh Campus, seen with the children of the Sulabh Public School.
28th NOVEMBER, 2015
Health and Sanitary Inspector trainees from the National Industrial Training Centre, New Delhi, on an educational tour studying the various activities and technologies of Sulabh, seen at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets.
SULABH INDIA
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Sulabh News From States
CHHATTISGARH: Bilaspur
A
Sulabh Public Convenience Centre built at a cost of Rs. 19 lakh in collaboration with the Bilaspur Municipal Corporation, was inaugurated in Shankarnagar by Amar Agrawal, Minister, Department of Urban Administration and Development, Chhattisgarh, on Nov. 2, 2015. Kishor Rai, Bilaspur Mayor, Ashok Vidhani, Adhyaksha, Councillors, Corporation officials, citizens and Sulabh workers were present.
A view of the Sulabh Public Convenience Centre, Shankarnagar
GOA
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orld Toilet Day was celebrated by the workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Goa State branch on November 19. Rohan Khaunte, MLA was the chief guest at the function. Others present were Safar K. Phadte, sarpanch, Sandeep Salgaonka, sarpanch and Gopesh Naik, member zila panchayat. Students of Kids Kingdom International Schooland Holy Family High School, both in Porvorim, welcomed the guests. Rohan Khaunte appreciated the work being performed by Sulabh in the field of sanitation.
HIMACHAL PRADESH Shimla
W Speaking on the occasion Hon’ble Rohan Khaunte, M.L.A, appreciated the work being done by Sulabh in the state
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orld Toilet Day was celebrated on 19th November by workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Himachal Pradesh Branch at the office campus in Shimla. Pamphlets with the message of Swachh Bharat Campaign were distributed by the Sulabh workers on the occasion. All the Sulabh Toilet Complexes were decorated.
PUNJAB Chandigarh/ Patiala
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he World Toilet Day was celebrated on 19th November, 2015 at the Sulabh International Complex Chandigarh as well as Patiala. Sulabh workers decorated the Sulabh Toilet Complexes and distributed pamphlets with the message of the Hon’ble Founder on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among the people.
HARYANA Panchkula
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orld Toilet Day was celebrated on 19th November by the workers of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Haryana State Branch with great enthusiasm. Sulabh Toilets were decorated with flowers.
ODISHA Bhubaneswar
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n Nov.19, an awareness march on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan for eradication of open defecation and construction of toilets in houses was organized by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Odisha State Branch, Bhubaneswar. The March was flagged of by Anant Narayan Jena, Mayor
of Bhubaneswar and Sushant Kumar Mohanty, Dy. General Manager, ONGC. All social workers of Sulabh International, people from every walk of life and members of Rawa Academy Charitable Trust participated in the March and created an awareness about sanitation among the people.
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Sulabh News From States
KERALA Thiruvananthapuram
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orld toilet day was celebrated on Nov. 19 in the Sulabh International office campus at Thiruvananthapuram. Banners highlighting the theme of World Toilet Day were put up all over the complex. More than 50 associate members along with Advisor V.K. Hari Kumar were present. He urged them to work tirelessly to keep up the name of Sulabh as a milestone in the field of sanitation.
JAMMU AND KASHMIR
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orld Toilet Day was celebrated at the headquarters of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Jammu and Kashmir State Branch on November 19, 2015 at Jammu. The occasion was graced by Kavindra Gupta, Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. Also present were Dr. Naresh Padha, Director H.R.D.C., R.S. Jamwal, Joint Commissioner (Adm.), Jammu Municipal Corporation, Kushal Chand, Joint Commissioner (Adm.), Prabod Sharma, Executive Engineer and Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Health Officer. Guests were welcomed
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with garland and chadar, the Sulabh prayer followed and the message of Dr Bindeshwar Pathak was read out. He spoke on the Sulabh sanitation work being performed all over the country along with the liberation of former scavengers and their rehabilitation, bringing them into the mainstream. Sulabh is also helping the widows of Vrindavan and Varanasi lead happy lives. BBC Horizon has recognized the Sulabh technology as one of the five most important innovations of the world. R.S. Jamwal thanked Sulabh for holding such a function on World Toilet Day and appreciated the work being performed by the organization in the field of sanitation. Dr. Naresh Padha spoke on the harmful consequences of defecating in the open. Kavindra Gupta lauded Sulabh’s role in making India a clean nation, with the goal of ending open defecation by 2019. A short drama was presented on the occasion indicating the importance of sanitation in the regional language.
KARNATAKA: Bangalore
Jammu
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oundation stones for construction of Sulabh Toilets at four locations in the city, namely, Jammu Hat, Panchirthi, Diwana Mandir and Rani Park were laid on November 24 by Priya Sethi, Minister of Education. Others present were Rajesh Gupta, MLA and BJP senior leader Yudhavir Sethi. The minister said the construction cost would be borne by the government.
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nauguration of Sulabh Shauchalaya Complex on BOT basis at NIMHANS HOSPITALII, Bangalore on Dt. 10/11/2015 by Dr. P. Satish Chandra (Director, (IAS)) NIMHANS Hospital, Dr. Shekhar (Registrar), Dr. Badrinath (Medical
Superintendent), Dr. Chandrashekhar (Resident Medical Officer), Dr. B.N. Gangadhar (DEAN), and G.P. Chandra Kumar (Ex. President, Rotary Club, Kormangala) along with Sulabh Officials Karnataka State Branch, were present on the occasion
Jammu : Rajendra Nagar, Canal Road
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he foundation stone for construction of Sulabh Toilet and Bathroom at a cost of Rs. 17.0 Lac was laid at Rajendra Nagar, Canal Road, Jammu on November 22, Rajesh Gupta MLA in the presence of Kushal Chand, Joint Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Guru Charan Singh, AE., esteemed citizens of the area and workers of Sulabh. Gupta said this would be the sixth toilet in course of a year in Ward No. 19.
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Sulabh News From States
UTTARAKHAND Dehradun
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orld toilet Day was celebrated on November 19, 2015 at the headquarters of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, Uttarakhand State branch at Dehradun, Yogendra Kumar Gangwar, Regional Tourism Officer was the chief guest at the function. Speaking on the occasion Gangwar appreciated the work of Sulabh in Uttarakhand, contributing in a major way to make a clean state. Sulabh Toilets located at Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Almora, Haldwani, Nainital, U.S. Nagar, Champawat and Pithoragarh were all decorated with flowers. Pamphlets enlightening people on the importance of Sanitation and toilets were distributed at all these places.
Yogendra Kumar Gangwar, Regional Tourism Officer being welcomed with a bouquet by the Hony. Controller, Sulabh
RAJASTHAN : Jaipur
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Sulabh Public Convenience Centre built in front of the Government Hostel, M.I. Road, Jaipur, was inaugurated on November 4 by Hon’ble Ramcharan Bohara, MP., Hon’ble Mr. MohanLal Gupta, M.L.A., Nirmal Nahata, Jaipur Mayor and Manoj Bharadwaj, Deputy Mayor. Present on the occasion were Councillors, officials and Sulabh workers. The centre will be operated and maintained by Sulabh for a period of 30 years on pay-and-use basis. Another five - seater Sulabh Public Convenience Centre built at a cost of Rs. 10 lakh was also inaugurated on November 4 by Hon’ble Ramcharan Bohara, MP. in the locality.
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UTTAR PRADESH Lucknow
C
elebrations of world toilet day started at 8.30 A.M. by March on road with girl students of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Post Graduate College, Aliganj, Lucknow with presentation of the MODEL of Individual Toilet on a trolley and slogans in the hands of students showing importance of a toilet for pollution free environment and healthy life. The March started from office at Sector-C, Aliganj to Sulabh Toilet Complex at Sector-E, Aliganj via Kapoorthala where a Nukkad Natake was organised highlighting the importance of toilet and problems related to open defecation. An exhibition showing activities of SULABH was also displayed near Sulabh Toilet Complex. Local people and passersby took keen interest
in all events. Associate members & students participated in the programme with great enthusiasm and joy. On this auspicious day a MOU was also signed between SULABH and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. for the construction of four Sulabh Toilet Complexes in Ghazipur.
Raebareli
A
5-Seated Sulabh Toilet complex constructed at Reliance Cement factory, Kundanganj, Raebareli was opened for use of Truck Drivers on November 1, 2015. This toilet complex has been constructed by the
fund provided by Reliance Cement Company Pvt. Ltd. exclusively for Truck Drivers Facility of 5 W.C., 5 Baths, 5 Wash spaces, 4 Urinals and one store room has been provided in the Sulabh Toilet Complex. SULABH INDIA
November 2015
53
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Photo by subir halder
54 SULABH INDIA
November 2015
Chhath Festival Celebration
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA Preamble WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
having solemnly resolved to
constitute India into a [SOVEREIGN
SOCIALIST SECULAR
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC] and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the [unity and integrity of the Nation];
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT,
ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
ISSN: 2230–7567
R.N.I. Regn. No. 49322/89
Glimpses of World Toilet Day Conference
SULABH INDIa
November 2015, ` 20/-
ISSN: 2230–7567
World
Toilet Day
Hema Malini, Member of Parliament with Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak and Amola Pathak lighting the ceremonial lamp on the inaugural day of the World Toilet Day Conference: November 19, 2015