Changing Practices of Local State wrt Sanitation (by Prof Amita Bhide)

ChangingPracticesofLocalStatewrtSanitationAffirmingEquityandJustice?Amita Bhide

LocalState• Criticaltoprovisionofsanitation• Historicallystructuredaround‘publichealth’• Sweeping,collectionofwastefrompublicareas/streets,transportanddisposalofwaste,sewageanddrainagenetworks

• Partofrevenueexpenditure,largelyonhumanpower

ExclusionthroughServices• Nonuniversalcitizenshipofnonpropertiedinhabitants• Exclusionof‘encroachments’‘illegals’• Extensionofinfrastructureon‘humanitarian’basisinthe1970sat‘public’points

• ‘Maintenance’anunresolvedissue,fewwastecollectionpoints,veryinfrequentcollection

• Createsasituationwherethosewhogeneratetheleastwasteareforcedtolivewithwaste,and bearthemaximumimpacts

InclusionThroughWorkers?• Invitationtoworkersofparticularcastegroups• Incentiveintheformofhousing• Opportunityto‘future’generationswhileperpetuatingformsofwastework

• Expandingworkforceintheorganised sectorwhileatthelowestrung

• Opportunitytomobilise• Aladderwhereemployeesoflocalstateathigherlevelswithcontrolsoverthoseunabletoaccessthesame

ExpandingReachofServices?• Arecontemporaryschemesaboutuniversalaccess?• Issanitationseenasaright?• Whoisexcluded?Whyaretheyexcluded?• Whatisthelevel/qualityofservicesbeingextended?• Whoextendstheservices?• Doesthischangetherelationshipwiththestate?

SANITATION IN TRANSIT CAMP MAHARASHTRA NAGAR

TRANSIT CAMP OF MAHARASHTRA NAGAR

BACK

EmergingWorkPractices• Changesinbasicworkdefinitionsbystate• Restrictionsontotalquantumofemployment• Threatstohousingandotherbenefitstoorganised employees• Emergentsitesservedthroughvariedformsofnonstateemployers- NGOs,contractors,CBOs

• Workingconditions,wagesoftheseworkers• Racetobottom?

Oninnovation• Broughtinnewactors,newthoughtsandmodels• BUT• Highlylimitedbyowninterestsandpositions• AND• Cumulativelyresultedinundermininguniversalityofcitizenshipandworkculture

SomeImperatives• Complexandcontradictorynatureofwastework• improvementofworkingterms,conditionsacrosstheboardanonnegotiable

• Universalservicemodelamust• Arenegotiationofresponsibilitiesofallcitizens-generatordoesnotjustpaybutalsohasadutytorecycleandscientificdisposal;recyclersbenefit