Train journeys have certain peculiarities.The slightly shaky and noisy experience is not that bad. When you wake up to a beautiful morning, you look across the window to find meadows.The picturesque display of Indian greenery certainly cheers you up.But every rose comes with thorns.Suddenly the beauty is replaced with multitudes of asses shitting in open and apparently singing in chorus,"Nile gagan ke tale, subah ke panch baje....."
As per UNICEF's findings for the year 2008, India accounted for 58% of those practicing open defecation globally. In simpler terms, almost 6 out of every 10 people in the world shitting in open are doing so on Indian soils. Imagine the rate at which mere desh ki dharti is degrading. A whopping 54% of Indian population practice open defecation i.e. almost 64 crore. It is a matter a shame and disgust that even in more than 60 years of democracy, we have not been able to provide the very basic amenities to people.
It has multidimensional ramifications as well. The economic impact of inadequate sanitation costs India 6.4% of it's GDP. One might wonder how can shit be of so much worth. But the numerous health hazards and epidemics resulting from the open defecation are damaging the health status of the country and surely is expanding the health care expenditure.Moreover, most of the open defecation places are ridiculously close to the cultivated lands.To add, with urbanization, the problem has spread to the urban areas as well. The slums breeding in the urban sprawls pose to great threat to the urban health.
An urgent action plan seeking to provide sanitation everywhere in the country is the burning need of the hour.Is it really unreasonable or unrealistic a demand? We are not asking for 4G services for every citizen, we are not asking for Broadband connectivity to every rural household, we are not asking for an Indian GP but for the love of god, give the people of India places to shit with dignity.
As per UNICEF's findings for the year 2008, India accounted for 58% of those practicing open defecation globally. In simpler terms, almost 6 out of every 10 people in the world shitting in open are doing so on Indian soils. Imagine the rate at which mere desh ki dharti is degrading. A whopping 54% of Indian population practice open defecation i.e. almost 64 crore. It is a matter a shame and disgust that even in more than 60 years of democracy, we have not been able to provide the very basic amenities to people.
It has multidimensional ramifications as well. The economic impact of inadequate sanitation costs India 6.4% of it's GDP. One might wonder how can shit be of so much worth. But the numerous health hazards and epidemics resulting from the open defecation are damaging the health status of the country and surely is expanding the health care expenditure.Moreover, most of the open defecation places are ridiculously close to the cultivated lands.To add, with urbanization, the problem has spread to the urban areas as well. The slums breeding in the urban sprawls pose to great threat to the urban health.
An urgent action plan seeking to provide sanitation everywhere in the country is the burning need of the hour.Is it really unreasonable or unrealistic a demand? We are not asking for 4G services for every citizen, we are not asking for Broadband connectivity to every rural household, we are not asking for an Indian GP but for the love of god, give the people of India places to shit with dignity.
No comments:
Post a Comment