Over half of rural people go for open defecation: survey

New Delhi: More than half of people in rural areas still go for open defecation though things seems to be changing after construction of community toilets as part of Swachh Bharat Mission, a survey has found.

"In rural areas, the percentage of persons going for open defecation was estimated to be 52.1 per cent," said a Rapid Survey on 'Swachhta' Status conducted by the NSSO during May-June 2015 covering 3,788 villages and 2,907 urban blocks.

The study further found that in rural areas, 55.4 per cent households contributed to open defecation.

The situation, however, is better in urban areas where the percentage of persons going for open defecation was estimated to be 7.5 per cent, as per the study.

The survey, based on feedback from 73,176 households in rural India and 41,538 families in cities indicated that the construction of community toilets in villages has helped in improving the situation.

It stated that out of 3,788 villages surveyed, 13.1 per cent villages in India were found to have community toilets.

"Out of the sample villages, at all India level, 1.7 per cent villages were found to be having the community toilets but not using them. 82.1 per cent of all the community toilets available in the villages were being used for defecation or washing purpose," it said.

From the 2,907 city sample surveyed at all India level, 42 per cent wards were found to have community/public toilets. At all India level, 1.6 per cent wards were found to be having the community/public toilets but not using them, it said.

In rural areas, 45.3 per cent families reported to have toilets while in cities, 88.8 per cent households have the facility.

In villages, 95.6 per cent of persons from families having access to toilet at home or common facility was using it. Similarly the proportion of such persons was 98.7 per cent in cities. "36.7 per cent villages had pakki nali and 19.0 per cent villages had katchi nali as drainage arrangement for waste water coming out of the rural households. 44.4 per cent villages had no drainage arrangement," it said.

In 54.9 per cent of villages having community toilets, cleaning was being done by the persons employed by the panchayat or on contract payment. In 17 per cent villages, it was being done by the residents themselves. However, 22.6 per cent villages were such where the community toilets were not being cleaned.

In cities, cleaning of community/public toilets was being done by the persons employed by the local municipal body in 73.1 per cent wards having these toilets. 12.2 per cent wards were such where the cleaning was being done by the persons employed by the residents' welfare association.

However, community/public toilets in 8.6 per cent wards were not being cleaned by anybody, it added.