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Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) wants to focus on Faecal Sludge Management in the 3,894 Census Towns in the country identified as per Census 2011. The toilet construction in census towns requires safe, cost-effective and sustainable on-site sanitation (OSS) technologies which enable periodic pit emptying and proper transfer and management of the removed sludge so that faecal matter does not re-enter the domestic environment and pose a risk to harm public health. In absence of any treatment facilities in census towns today, the faecal sludge generated by the septic tanks is collected and disposed of either in water bodies or open land. Also, it has been observed that construction of improper septic tank (without baffles and soakage pit) necessitates an immediate need to address Faecal Sludge Management rural areas.
In census towns and rural India, Single pits account for 22% and septic tanks for 21% of the households. With 5.9 crore toilets constructed till 2018; these toilets will require emptying in coming years and FSM will crucial to ensure long-term sustainability.
Gaps and Issues in FSM:
Technology Options for FSM:
Funding for FSM:
Funds for SLWM project under SBM (G) are provided by central and state governments, which if required, can be supplemented by dovetailing funds from other programmes and sources like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(MGNREGS), Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development scheme (MLALADS)funds, Finance Commission funds, Corporate Social Responsibility contribution, Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK), donor funding, programmes of other ministries and departments, etc. Maintenance costs for the first five years of operation may be made part of the project cost.