MoU for Capacity Building in Faecal Sludge & Septage Management

MoU for Capacity Building in Faecal Sludge & Septage Management

Part of: GS-Prelims and GS-II – Policies and interventions

In News: National Mission of Clean Ganga (NMCG) has signed an MoU with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASH Institute) to conduct a series of trainings to enhance the quality of service of officials in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). 

• Aim: To efficiently address and improve preparedness towards FSSM (faecal sludge and septage management) and Wastewater Management in Indian towns and cities.
• The project will be funded by USAID and supported by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Background

In India, untreated faecal sludge and urban sewage are the primary source of water pollution, particularly in the cities around Ganges. Under Prime Minister’s visionary initiative, the Swachh Bharat Mission, more than 62 lakh toilets are built. Half of these toilets rely on on-site sanitation system (OSS). Managing the waste collected from these toilets is the next big challenge for India. Considering these challenges, systematic capacity building initiatives need to be undertaken to build the skill and knowledge of the Government, Urban Local Body (ULB) officials, STP/FSTP Operators, Sanitary workers, entrepreneurs, NGO professionals and other stakeholders involved in the FSSM sector across India.

Do you know?

• Considering the importance of FSSM solutions, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs came up with the national policy on FSSM in 2017. 
• More than 24 states have adopted it and 12 of them have come up with their own policies.
• Universal access to toilets was achieved in urban India with the construction of 66 lakh household toilets and more than 6 lakh community and public toilets.
• After achieving the target of ‘Open-Defecation-Free’ (ODF), India has now moved towards becoming ODF+ and ODF++. 
• These targets go beyond the concept of access to sanitation and aim for safely managed sanitation systems, with adequate treatment and safe disposal of toilet waste.

News Source: PIB