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Water and Sanitation WATSAN State Series Bihar HUP |
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Water and Sanitation
STATE SERIES 2012
BIHAR: NEW CHALLENGES ON FAST LANE OF DEVELOPMENT
Health of the Urban Poor (HUP) Program
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Water and Sanitation: State Series, 2012
Bihar: New challenges on fast lane of development
Prepared and published by
Health of the Urban Poor [HUP] Program
Population Foundation of India
B-28, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016
Author
Er Anil Kumar Gupta
Special Inputs
Dr. Sainath Banerjee
Dr. Sneha Siddham
Ashish Kumar
Anand Rudra, USAID
Editing Support
Ranjan Panda
Shipra Saxena
Design & Layout
Sarita Singh
Photographs
HUP
Published
September, 2012
Copyright
The contents of this publication may be used freely, for not-for-profit purposes,
provided the users duly acknowledge the publishers. However, anyone intending
to use the contents for commercial purposes must obtain prior permission from
the publishers.
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Table of Contents
Abbreviations
4
Message
5
In brief
7
CHAPTER 1. Limited Success
8
CHAPTER 2. Call of Governance
13
CHAPTER 3. React to Act
17
SPREAD BOX: Community Speaks
18
CHAPTER 4. A Jump to the Future
20
List of Tables
Table 1: Demographic Highlights
10
Table 2: Houses Household Amenities and Assets-WATSAN Highlights 11
Table 3: Classification of Towns and Cities in Bihar and their Numbers 23
Table 4: Indicators on Urbanisation
23
Annexure
23
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AWW
BUIDCO
BSUP
CBO
DFID
GoB
HUP
JnNURM
NGO
NSSO
O&M
PHED
PMC
PPP
RWSS
SPUR
TA
TSC
UD&HD
UIDSSMT
ULBs
USAID
WASH
WATSAN
Abbreviations
Anganwadi Worker
Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation
Basic services for Urban Poor
Community Based Organization
Department for International Development
Government of Bihar
Health of the Urban Poor Program
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
Nongovernmental Organization
National Sample Survey Organization
Operation and Maintenance
Public Health and Engineering Department
Project Management Committee
Public Private Partnership
Rural Water Supply and Sanitation
Support Program for Urban Reforms
Technical Assistance
Total Sanitation Campaign
Urban Development and Housing Department
Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for
Small & Medium Towns
Urban Local Bodies
United States Agency for International Development
Water Sanitation & Hygiene
Water and Sanitation
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Prem Kumar
Hon’ble Minister
Urban Development and Housing Department
Government of Bihar
Vikas Bhawan, Bailey Road Patna – 800 001
MESSAGE
I am happy to learn that the Population Foundation of India (PFI), through its Health of
the Urban Poor (HUP) program - being implemented by Plan India, Bihar with the support
of Government of India - is releasing a state Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) profile of
Bihar. This is a timely and worthy initiative as it will provide an opportunity not only to
reflect upon what we have already done, through a broad benchmarking, but also plan
our future strategies to bring in sustained efforts in provisioning water and sanitation
facilities to all the urban people, especially the poor and other vulnerable sections of the
society.
At this outset, I would like to note that, although Bihar is among the less urbanised states
of India, the state has been witnessing rapid growth of urban population in recent
decades. As per Census 2011 figures, the total population of Bihar is around 103.80
million, of which 11.73 million stay in the urban areas. Looking at urban water and
sanitation scenario, considered as one of the essential indicators for improved health
outcomes and sustainable development, 20 percent of urban households in the state
have access to tap water. 74.7 percent urban households are dependent on hand pumps
as a source of drinking water. On the sanitation front, state has made significant progress
with nearly 70 percent of urban households having access to toilet facility within the
household premise. Towards this, our state is taking steps to increase access and
effective coverage of water supply and sanitation facilities in urban areas, especially for
urban poor.
The urban WATSAN Profile, while providing an overview of the urban challenges and
status of urban water supply and sanitation, also provides a section on the way forward.
This will be useful for understanding gaps and planning interventions as per urban
requirement and needs of people. The document also has a section that deals with
community voices which narrates the grassroots initiatives in the state.
I take this opportunity to extend my compliments to the Health of the Urban poor (HUP)
Bihar team for this praiseworthy contribution in compiling the state urban WATSAN
profile. I am sure this document will be a vital one at the hands of all concerned
departments with the government, the non-government organizations and others who
are concerned about these issues of the state.
Best wishes
Patna
July 11, 2012
(Prem Kumar)
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The health of the urban
poor is considerably
worse off than the non-
poor. One of the major
causes of poor health
conditions in urban
areas is the absence of
basic amenities like lack
of safe drinking water
and sanitation
(WATSAN)
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In brief
The urban poor rarely benefit from urban facilities
Bihar is one of the least urbanised states in India. In 2001, India's level of urbanisation was
27.78 percent while the figure for Bihar was just 10.47 percent. According to Census
2011, 11.3 percent of the state’s population resides in urban areas. Within the state, the
pace of urbanisation is uneven. Cities like Patna are urbanizing faster than other small towns.
Along with rapid urbanisation, there is rapid growth in the urban poor population in Bihar. As
per estimates of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), 13.2 lakh persons (20.2
percent of the state's urban population) are living below the poverty line. However, the state
government’s estimates put the slum population at around 40 percent of the total urban
population. The urban poor rarely benefit from urban facilities.
The health of the urban poor is considerably worse off than the non-poor. One of the major
causes of poor health conditions in urban areas is the absence of basic amenities like lack of safe
drinking water and sanitation (WATSAN). In Bihar, only 4.4 per cent of households have access
to tap water connection. As high as 89.6 percent households of the state depend on hand
pump/tube well/bore hole for drinking water. Thus, the WATSAN strategy should focus on
improving the basic amenities for improving the health condition of the urban poor. Around 17
percent of the state's population doesn’t have access to sanitation. There is no centralised
sewerage network system in the cities.
The WATSAN
strategy should
focus on improving
the basic amenities
for improving the
health condition of
the urban poor.
Around 17 percent
of the state's
population doesn't
have access to
sanitation
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Chapter 1
Limited Success
The state needs to build on its successful health programs
In Bihar, the Urban Development Department (UDD) provides basic services to all urban
areas in the state. Responsibilities of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have increased
manifold in the recent past, after the enactment of the 74th constitutional amendment. The
ULBs are responsible for urban and town planning, urban poverty alleviation, and WATSAN
services. At present, the UDD implements its development programs through the Support
Program for Urban Reforms (SPUR). In the first phase, the department has selected 56 slums and
28 ULBs for the holistic development of these slums.
The Government of
Bihar has initiated
the urban reforms
program to enable
holistic
development of
urban areas and
this continues to
present myriad
development
challenges
including the lack
of basic urban
services, issues in
local governance,
and high incidence
of urban poverty
The Government of Bihar has initiated the urban reforms program to enable holistic
development of urban areas and this continues to present myriad development challenges
including the lack of basic urban services, issues in local governance, and high incidence of
urban poverty.
In spite of an increasing awareness among local functionaries for improved urban services, a
number of institutional and management aspects impede urban economic growth and quality of
life. The felt need to strengthen institutional and technical capacities of the state for urban
development, guides the design of Samvardhan.
The goal of Samvardhan is “Economic growth and poverty reduction significantly accelerated
in Bihar by 2016.” The program aims to significantly enhance the ability of identified ULBs to
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provide urban services and attract private investment in the state. It is based on the premise that
effective urban centers play a significant role in economic growth and poverty reduction by
providing the nucleus for greater economic activity and services.
The programme will cover 28 urban centers that are expected to become hubs for economic
activities and thereby benefit the wider state. The outcome of this program will directly
improve the quality of services received by 6.36 million urban citizens, of which 2.83 million
are urban poor.
According to the
2011 census, 11.3
percent of the
state's population
resides in urban
areas. Though the
level of
urbanisation was
much lower as
compared to the
national average,
the changing face
of Bihar has led to
more rapid
urbanisation during
2001-10
The program also expects to benefit a large number of people from nearby rural areas with a
strong economic linkage to these towns. Areas of program focus are as follows:
G Urban Governance and Planning: Strengthen urban policy, institutions, and governance.
G Municipal Finance and Procurement: Enhance capabilities of ULBs to mobilize resources
and to manage them more effectively.
G Municipal Infrastructure: Plan, implement, and manage city-level infrastructure and
services.
G Local Economic Development: Increase municipal capacity to attract private investment in
urban areas for inclusive growth.
G Social Development, Poverty and Livelihoods: Facilitate development of poor
communities through sustainable mechanisms for empowerment and livelihoods.
According to the 2011 census, 11.3 percent of the state’s population resides in urban areas (see
Table 1). Though the level of urbanisation was much lower as compared to the national
average, the changing face of Bihar has led to more rapid urbanisation during 2001-10. There
has been an increase of two urban agglomerations and nine towns during this period. Patna is
the only million plus city in the state and it contributes nearly 15 percent to the total urban
population. The provisional estimates of the latest census make Bihar the third most populous
state in the country. It has the country's highest population density. As per Planning
Commission estimates on poverty (NSSO 61st Round), more than one-third (33.4 percent) of the
urban population was poor. (See Annexure I for more data on Bihar’s urbanisation.)
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Table 1: Demographic Highlights
Indicators
Population
Percent of rural urban population
Sex ratio
Child Sex ratio 0-6 years
Literacy rate
Source: Census of India, 2011.
Total
103,804,637
916
933
63.82
Rural
9,20,75,028
88.70
919
935
61.83
Urban
1,17,29,609
11.30
891
906
78.75
Bihar has
experience in
implementing
successful health
programs.
However, the state
does not have a
well-structured and
clearly articulated
statewide urban
health strategy
Bihar is blessed with abundant surface and groundwater resources that are sufficient to cater to
the state’s demands for various uses. The normal annual average rainfall the state is supposed
to receive is about 1205 mm.1 However, reports point out that 87 percent of this precipitation is
limited to three monsoon months. The water table in the state varies from as low as 5 m in the
northeastern region to 20 m in the southern districts. Recurrent floods are a serious problem in
Bihar. These can render about 9.4 lakh ha of areas waterlogged and affect as much as a quarter
of the population in some years.2
A New Beginning
Bihar has experience in implementing successful health programs. However, the state does not
have a well-structured and clearly articulated statewide urban health strategy. A multitude of
healthcare providers exist with different jurisdiction and varying statutory responsibilities.
This poses management and implementation problems. Further, there is lack of organized and
coordinated primary healthcare services in urban areas. Hence, a consistent and focused
approach to urban health is imperative.
Against this backdrop, the Health of the Urban Poor Program (HUP) is being implemented in the
state of Bihar to augment the efforts of the state government for improving the health outcomes
of the urban poor. This Technical Assistance (TA) project being funded by the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks to work with the key government
departments such as health, social welfare, urban development and housing development,
ULBs and Public Health & Engineering Department (PHED) on key thematic areas such as policy
analysis and convergence.
As per Census 2011, the state has less than 19 million households, of which only 4.4 percent
have access to tap water. A total of 3.1 percent households only use tap water from treated
sources. When it comes to the urban population, while 20 percent of the households use tap
water, 15.1 percent of the total households use water from tap that is treated. It can therefore be
said that almost 85 percent of the urban population in the state does not have access to safe
drinking water. In fact, there is huge disparity between the urban and rural scenario in the state.
As can be seen from Table 2, the percentage of households who use tap water in rural areas is a
meager 2.6 percent, almost 10 times less than that of the urban areas. And, when it comes to
using treated tap water, it comes down to a pathetic 1.6 percent, also nearly 10 times less than
that of the urban areas. It means a huge 98.4 percent of rural households may not have access
to treated water.
Moving on to sanitation coverage in the state, as per the latest Census 2011 figures, 76.90
percent of the state’s households do not have a latrine within their own premises. In urban
areas, this figure is 31 percent but in rural areas almost 82.40 percent of households do not have
toilets inside their premises. And Bihar scores poorly in sewerage facilities and other basic
1 http://www.brandbihar.com/english/geography_of_bihar.html
2 “Safe Drinking Water Status in the state of Bihar, India: Challenges Ahead,” 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, 2009.
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amenities related to WATSAN. While 75.80 percent of the total households of the state defecate
in the open, in rural areas this number is as high as 81.40 percent and in urban areas it is 28.90
percent.
Due to rapid urbanization, 25% slum dwellers live without access to improved hygiene and
sanitation facilities. Supplementing the problem are water quality issues in 50% of the districts.
Evidences reflect that lack of safe drinking water and open defecation lead to a range of
diseases, while factors such as overcrowding and pollution contribute to health problems.
Table 2: Houses Household Amenities and Assets - WATSAN Highlights
Indicators
Total
Rural
Households
18,940,629 1,69,26,958
Households main source of drinking water (in %)
Tap water
4.4
2.6
Tap water from treated sources
3.1
1.6
Tap water from untreated source
1.3
0.9
Well
Covered well
0.7
0.6
Uncovered well
3.7
3.8
Hand pump
89.6
91.4
Tube well/Borehole
Spring
0.1
0.09
River/Canal
0.2
0.09
Tank/Pond/Lake
0.2
0.03
Other sources
1.7
1.6
Availability of drinking water within premises
47.10
Availability of drinking water near the premises
35.10
Availability of drinking water away from the premises
Households by type of latrine facility
22.80
Latrine facilities within the premises
34.97
19.65
Water Closet
2.1
14.9
Piped sewer system
1.8
1.2
Septic tank
16.0
11.60
Other system
2.3
2.2
Pit Latrine
2.5
2.3
With slab/ventilated improved pit
1.70
1.50
Without slab/ open pit
0.8
0.7
Other latrine
0.5
0.4
Night soil deposited into open drain
0.20
0.20
Night soil removed by human
0.10
0.10
Night soil serviced by animals
0.20
0.20
No latrine within the premises
76.90
82.40
Public latrine
1.50
1.0
Open
75.80
81.40
Source: “Houses Household Amenities and Assets, Figures at a Glance, Bihar”, Census of India, 2011.
Urban
20,13,671
20.0
15.1
4.9
0.8
2.5
74.70
0.04
0.01
0.63
2.1
75.50
17.50
7.0
82.02
63.4
7.2
52.70
3.5
4.6
3.30
1.20
1.0
0.50
0.20
0.30
31.0
2.20
28.90
Institutional
bottlenecks such as
lack of standards,
weak Public Private
Partnership (PPP)
models and
monitoring
mechanisms, lack
of sewer networks,
multiplicity of
agencies, and
limited community
involvement, all
contribute to
adversely
impacting the
achievement of
environmental and
sanitary outcomes
from service
delivery
Municipal services are practically nonexistent in slum areas. For the state as a whole, sanitation
infrastructure suffers from serious inadequacies. Institutional bottlenecks such as lack of
standards, weak Public Private Partnership (PPP) models and monitoring mechanisms, lack of
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Sustainability of
sources and the
water supply
system is also a
key issue in
maintaining
regular supply of
drinking water. The
aging of water
supply assets and
their regular
maintenance are
major areas that
need to be
addressed
sewer networks, multiplicity of agencies, and limited community involvement, all contribute to
adversely impacting the achievement of environmental and sanitary outcomes from service
delivery.
The state has 800,000 hand pumps built by the government in addition to over 700 rural piped
water supply schemes. The contribution of private hand pumps in water supply is also
significant as they are quite high in number. The accessibility of drinking water is easy due to
groundwater availability at low depth. In terms of quantity, the average population served per
source is 110 against the Government of India norm of 250 persons per source.
The major problem in the sector is to ensure adequate, safe and uninterrupted availability of
water and adequate sanitation facilities. Due to lack of knowledge and affordability, the private
water sources are mostly shallow in nature and hence there is high risk of fecal contamination.
Lack of adequate sanitation facilities and hygiene practices makes the situation more critical.
The recurrent floods pose significant challenges to the rural water supply and sanitation service
delivery in large parts of the state. This not only interrupts service delivery during the floods
but also causes damage to Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) infrastructure and has
heavy health implications during and after the recession of floods.
Sustainability of sources and the water supply system is also a key issue in maintaining regular
supply of drinking water. The aging of water supply assets and their regular maintenance are
major areas that need to be addressed.
The state government's recent water quality mapping of the entire state indicates that the
drinking water sources in rural areas are not safe in most of the area. Out of the 38 districts,
water sources of 1,750 habitations of 80 blocks in 13 districts situated along the river Ganges are
partially affected by arsenic contamination. The drinking water sources of 6,373 habitations of
22 districts are affected with excess fluoride. The presence of excess iron in groundwater is
found in the majority of the districts. Apart from chemical impurities, fecal contamination of
water is prevalent in many water sources. Deep tube wells are yielding arsenic-free water
whereas in fluoride-affected areas the fluoride content is increasing with depth.3
3 “Testing and Mapping of Drinking Water Quality in the State of Bihar,” Public Health Engineering Department, Government of
Bihar, Patna, 2008.
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Chapter 2
Call of Governance
The state has started many programs for sanitation in urban poverty pockets
Lack of access to sanitation arises from many constraints like economic backwardness and
lack of tenure or space. This forces a large number of households to practice open
defecation. The adverse impacts of this practice are well documented.
The state government has launched the state Urban Sanitation and Slum Development policy.
The policy has been developed within the framework of the National Slum Policy and is to
guide the state and local governments in addressing slum-specific issues. The goal and
objectives of the Slum Development Policy are as follows:
G To integrate slum settlements and the communities residing within them into the urban
area as a whole by creating awareness amongst the public and in government.
G To strengthen the legal and policy framework to facilitate the process of slum development
and improvement on a sustainable basis.
G To establish a framework for involving all stakeholders for the efficient and smooth
implementation of policy objectives.
G To ensure allocation of adequate budget and resources for slum development and provision
of basic services.
On the basis of the state slum policy, the urban development department has identified 56
slums from 28 ULBs with support of the Department for International Development (DFID) to
take up overall development works. The micro planning for all selected slums is over. This
policy has been developed within the framework of the following guiding principles:
The state
government has
launched the state
Urban Sanitation
and Slum
Development
policy.
The policy has
been developed
within the
framework of the
National Slum
Policy and is to
guide the state and
local governments
in addressing
slum-specific
issues
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The state and the
ULBs will take steps
to ensure provision
of adequate shelter
to the homeless
population.
Following
decentralisation,
the slum policy
recognizes the ULBs
as the focal point of
accountability for
slum development
and provision of
houses for those
without shelter G The policy requires the state to tackle the problems of slums in a definitive manner with a
view to make cities slum free.
G The policy requires that the identification and listing of slums should be a systematic and
regular process. This contributes to developing a reliable database for better targeting of
interventions.
G The policy requires that the option for in-situ upgradation be explored first before
relocation. It also requires local governments to provide certain minimum basic services to
all settlements within their jurisdiction irrespective of land tenure or occupancy status.
G The policy requires that the state and the ULBs take cognizance and action to ensure that
the future need for land and resources for housing of the poor and weaker sections of the
community are addressed in any targeted intervention. The state government would
promote participatory planning and implementation of interventions for ensuring this
“inclusive” approach.
G Gender equality in development activities and appropriate maintenance of rights should
guide policy formulation, especially while providing entitlements to land and property
and benefits under various programs, including health and education.
G Identifying and implementing innovative solutions to problems of land tenure is a
prerequisite for slum improvements. The absence of security of tenure is a key disincentive
for residents to invest in improved housing and living conditions. Allocating clear
landownership or long-term leasehold to associations or residents wherever possible, but
with an understanding that urban land is a scarce resource and an inter-agency mechanism,
involving stakeholder consultation, is needed to balance competing demands and the
proper utilization of public lands. Innovative ways to enhance security of tenure need to
adopted and practiced.
G Several of the guiding principles assume the institutionalization of decentralisation and
participation or the implementation of the 74th amendment in letter and spirit. State
governments and ULBs would seek partnerships for inclusion and enhanced service
provisions in slums.
G The state and the ULBs will take steps to ensure provision of adequate shelter to the
homeless population. Following decentralisation, the slum policy recognizes the ULBs as
the focal point of accountability for slum development and provision of houses for those
without shelter.
G The ULBs will develop a holistic and comprehensive Slum Development Plan for their
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respective municipalities within a time-bound framework for the upgradation of slums. For
this purpose and with reference to related activities the policy seeks to delineate
responsibilities and powers of the ULBs and the state government.
G For a holistic focus on urban poverty, the government would promote networking across
departments and programs at the state level.
In providing services, the policy articulates the following principles:
G Planning and implementation of community-level infrastructure should involve the
beneficiaries especially women; the community should be involved in operation and
maintenance (O&M) of assets created.
G The involvement of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based
organizations (CBOs) for community ULBs are mandated to provide basic services in all
poor settlements. Core basic services are also to be provided in the slums to be relocated.
The core services will include safe drinking water, sanitation, and solid waste management
as per the norms prescribed for the urban areas in the state, to be revised from time to time
according to nonnegotiable benchmarks. At the first instance, efforts are to be made to
provide services at the individual level. Where this is not possible, community
mobilization should be encouraged.
G At least 20 percent of the ULB budget should be earmarked for the urban poor's basic
service provision. The issues of cross-subsidization of the urban poor and their
involvement in the collection of O&M charges should be addressed.
G The needs of women, children, and disadvantaged groups should be taken into account in
the planning and sitting of community-level infrastructure.
G Conscious efforts should be made in converging available resources from all
schemes/programs across departments for overall infrastructure improvements.
Social services do not reach those in dire need for many reasons. Working conditions in slum
settlements are difficult thus deterring service providers. Motivation levels on the need to
access social services are low either on account of lack of knowledge or the expenses involved.
The state and ULBs would ensure that physical infrastructure creation keeps pace with demand
and use of such infrastructure. Thus, ULBs are encouraged to:
G Explore involvement of NGOs and CBOs to create demand and use of social infrastructure.
Social services do
not reach those in
dire need for many
reasons. Working
conditions in slum
settlements are
difficult thus
deterring service
providers.
Motivation levels on
the need to
access social
services are low
either on account of
lack of knowledge
or the expenses
involved
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There are many
programs that look
after WATSAN
issues of and for the
urban poor. The
most notable among
them is JnNURM.
However, there are
a few state G Create awareness on the tangible and intangible benefits of infrastructure.
programs that also G Explore possibilities of linking with other programs that provide social services like health
specifically tackle
and education, both for increasing use as well as for creating awareness on the benefits of
infrastructure creation and use.
WATSAN issues for G Ideally, the state should adopt a “mission mode” approach for holistic interventions. In the
urban areas
interim, individual departments shall continue with programmatic interventions in slums.
There are many programs that look after WATSAN issues of and for the urban poor. The most
notable among them is JnNURM. However, there are a few state programs that also specifically
tackle WATSAN issues for urban areas.
Among the state programs, Samvardhan and the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development
Corporation (BUIDCO) are two important ones. Samvardhan is a six-year partnership program
(2010-16) between the Government of Bihar and the DFID. The program envisages that effective
urban centers in Bihar would play a significant role in economic growth and poverty reduction.
They would serve as nucleus for greater economic activity and services to enable contribution
to pro-poor development. The program’s goal is to promote economic growth and significantly
accelerate poverty reduction in Bihar by 2016. It aims to catalyze identified ULBs to
significantly enhance their capability to provide urban services and attract private investment
thereby breaking the cycle of low urban revenues, weak capacity, and inadequate services.
Samvardhan provides financial, technical, and managerial support to enhance the efficacy of
the ULBs and related departments of the state. BUIDCO, a state government undertaking
registered under the Company Act, 1956, in June 2009, has been set up to accelerate
infrastructure development activities across all ULBs.
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Chapter 3
React To Act
The next five-year plan is the right opportunity
to make WATSAN accessible for the urban poor
The approach to the process of urbanisation has been largely “reactive” in that problems
have sought to be addressed in a knee-jerk manner. The Twelfth Five Year Plan provides
an opportunity to fix this. Below are a few guiding notes for an effective twelfth plan vis-
à-vis the WATSAN sector:
G Sensitization of all stakeholders to the enormity of the problem.
G To garner additional resources to augment civic amenities.
G To ensure growth of urban areas in a systematic and sustainable manner.
There are some pressing challenges in the sector that must be given priority focus in the next
plan. They are:
G The contamination of groundwater along with poor sanitation facilities in the state, which
have become a major challenge for supplying safe water in rural and urban areas. The
growing arsenic contamination of water is a key challenge.
G Improved sanitation and hygiene practices through advocacy, mass awareness campaigns,
and adequate attention to institutionalized hygiene education promotion.
G A water quality database should be developed to document all water quality data collected
using Geographical Information System mapping.
G Strengthening of all water-testing laboratories and their capacity.
G A concurrent monitoring system needs to be developed; all private sources are also to be
monitored.
G Effective communication and social mobilization is to be done extensively in the affected
area.
G The district, block, and grassroots health functionaries (in particular those from affected
areas) need to be sensitized. Frequent health camps in the area will be helpful in awareness
generation.
G The effective execution of the implementation of the activities involves regular monitoring
and evaluation.
G Research and development activity is required to be given priority to develop user friendly,
cost-effective, area-specific technological options.
G Overall, it requires developing a region-specific total water management system
considering water demands from all sectors with drinking water as a priority.
The contamination
of groundwater
along with poor
sanitation facilities
in the state, which
have become a
major challenge for
supplying safe
water in rural and
urban areas. The
growing arsenic
contamination of
water is a key
challenge
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Community Speaks
Why?
The state government has been implementing a large
number of programs and policies on WATSAN in urban
areas. It is important to listen and understand people’s
perspective on their own development.
How?
An effort had been made to visit four slums which fall
under the Patna Municipal Corporation, namely, Nehru
Nagar Slum, Amkuda Slum, Kusth Nagar slum, and
Chitkohra slum. These slums are situated in the heart of
Patna city with their presence being overshadowed by the
prosperity and wealth of the city. The state government
has failed to provide basic drinking water, hygiene and
sanitation facilities in these slums whereas the adjacent
prosperous areas enjoy all the facilities being provided by
the government.
What?
Water Supply Facilities
Household connection to piped water supply is
available to the urban poor but it is expensive. The
government has made efforts to install stand posts but
these are too few. On average, only one stand post is
available for more than 50 households and this is not
uniform in all slums. In a majority of cases the pipelines
are tampered and damaged. Water conservation and the
sense of economic use of water is missing in the
community. During summer season, water scarcity is a
major problem and there is no provision of water
supply through tankers. During discussions it was
found that water filtering is hardly practiced. The
community says the quality of water from the public
post is bad.
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WASH facility at anganwadi center: In all the slums
surveyed, the anganwadi centers are well managed. In all
the anganwadi centers, run in rented buildings, there is
no provision of kitchen and WATSAN facility.
Sanitation facilities in slum areas: Except some
households that have toilets at home, all others defecate
in the open. For defecating purposes they use bushes,
drains, the roadside, and any open space around. In
these slums there is no community toilet. A very
negligible proportion of the community uses individual
toilets.
Hygiene practices: During discussions in the schools and
anganwadi centers, workers were unaware about hygiene
practices. In the schools, children were aware about hand
washing practices. The team checked the hands of the
school children and found them clean in more than 70
percent of children.
Waterborne diseases: Waterborne diseases are very
common in slums because of unhygienic prevailing
conditions. Although chlorine tablets are provided by the
health department to the anganwadi workers (AWWs),
but the supply is irregular and limited for use in the
monsoon.
Sewerage system and solid waste management: The
Project Management Committee (PMC) collects garbage
from few slums but door-to-door collection is still a dream
for slum dwellers. In most slums, the sewerage system is
either nonexistent or it is found choked. The problem of
blocked sewerage also exists in the slums where people
stay in pucca houses.
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Chapter 4
A Jump To The Future
An inclusive citywide approach holds the key to success
The WATSAN sector in the state is riddled with many challenges and this also offers the
opportunity to bring in inclusive development in the sector. This is relevant given that
the number of urban poor is increasing fast in the state.
Challenges
Responsibility of ULBs: While water, sewerage, and solid waste management have been
transferred to the ULBs, inadequate capacities at local government level have hindered effective
service delivery.
Social and occupational aspects of sanitation: While Bihar is addressing the issue of
elimination of manual scavenging, progress has been limited.
There are
considerable gaps
and overlaps in
institutional roles
and responsibilities
at the state and ULB
levels. Although
functional
responsibility has
been transferred to
the ULBs, weak
capacities have
meant continued
reliance on para-
statal organizations
like PHED
Fragmented institutional roles and responsibilities: There are considerable gaps and overlaps
in institutional roles and responsibilities at the state and ULB levels. Although functional
responsibility has been transferred to the ULBs, weak capacities have meant continued reliance
on para-statal organizations like PHED.
Poor presence of NGOs and local agencies in the sector: Bihar has a limited number of NGOs
working in the urban sector, especially on sanitation issues. This has meant communities not
being adequately mobilized and not taking an active role in decision making. This factor has
also been cited as a major gap in the implementation of the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in
the state.
Lack of an integrated citywide approach: Investments on sanitation are currently planned in a
piece-meal manner. It does not take into account the full cycle of safe confinement, carriage,
treatment, and safe disposal of solid and liquid wastes. Poor city-level infrastructure is
contributing to the overall poor demand for individual toilets.
Reaching the unserved and poor: Urban poor communities as well as other residents of
informal settlements are constrained by lack of security of land tenure and economic hardships
in obtaining affordable access to safe sanitation. In this context, the issues of whether services
to the poor should be individualized and whether community services should be provided need
to be resolved.
Lack of performance standards at the state level: Though the central government has
prescribed service-level benchmarks for urban areas, there are no standards for service delivery,
health, water and waste water management, solid waste management, and safety defined at the
state level. Currently, there are no mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the performance
of the ULBs in this context.
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Urban poor
communities as
well as other
residents of
informal
settlements are
constrained by lack
of security of land
tenure and
Poor financial health of the ULBs: The financial status of the ULBs in the state is weak. Funds
available for service delivery improvements are therefore limited. In addition, the state charges
a small amount as property tax. User charges for sanitation and solid waste management
services are mandatory under both the JnNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme
for Small & Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and the 13th Finance Commission recommendations.
Service charge is linked to access; therefore, the state will need to explore alternate means of
ensuring access for all.
Capacity building and training: While the Bihar Municipal Act 2007 has transferred the water
supply and sewerage function to the ULBs, the lack of skilled staff to manage this function
adversely impacts service delivery. There has been no focused attention on strengthening staff
skills and capacities in this context.
economic hardships
in obtaining
affordable access to
safe sanitation. In
this context, the
issues of whether
services to the poor
should be
individualized and
whether community
Inappropriate technological solutions: Where sanitation facilities have been provided, the
technology has often not taken into account the local geography. There is a disproportionate
reliance on the “twin pit” technology given that about 30 percent of the state has a high water
table and is susceptible to flooding.
services should be
provided need to be
resolved
Way Forward and Opportunities
The above challenges, general to the sector across the country, can be met if the government
takes the corrective steps outlined below:
G Identification of current gaps in availability of WATSAN facilities.
G Filling of information gaps with baseline and focus group discussions with target segments
for identification of community perceptions, behavioral patterns, and desired solutions.
G Analysis of available baseline data to identify trends/correlations between infrastructure
availability and adoption/non-adoption of good practices.
G Study of water distribution/access mechanisms and economic/social costs of access to
water in slums.
G Finding out suitable technologies/practices/civic interventions that can bridge the
infrastructure gaps. Learning from similar projects in other parts of the country and world
would also be needed.
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Where sanitation
facilities have been
provided, the
technology has
often not taken into
account the local
geography. There is
a disproportionate
reliance on the
"twin pit" technology
G Identification of infrastructure additions/modifications that are needed to bridge the gaps
in adoption.
G Implementation of all the above with the support of the government, private bodies, and
landowning agencies.
G Creating community groups or existing JnNURM groups for management of services and
building sustainability.
G Capacity building among community management groups and the community as a whole
on the adoption of good practices. This also includes training for staff and all community
management committee members.
G Awareness creation among the communities. Specifically, this can include exhibitions on
WATSAN issues in slums and nearby schools and thematic mime/magic shows, street
plays in slums and nearby schools showing good WATSAN practices.
G Creating partnership modules and interaction opportunities for the community groups
with other groups, government and service providers so that there is seamless flow of
information between all.
Taking right steps
The Government of Bihar, during the process of vision building, undertook a status assessment
of the cities of the state consulting the people in various participatory approaches such as
focussed group discussions and stakeholder consultations. The government, based on this
exercise, concluded that there is need to revive growth and improve the overall quality of life of
its citizens. The vision identified key components of such a growth and decided to provide
quality infrastructure services and facilities, good governance, planned development and clean
environment.
This vision sets the basis of sector specific strategies adopted in framing the city action plans.
It plans to establish an effective water collection, treatment and disposal system to improve the
sewerage and sanitation situation in the state.
Some of the key strategies in this include preparation of city sanitation plan, achieving 100%
underground drainage, public awareness, construction of sewerage treatment plant,
construction of public toilets at appropriate places and special attention to be given to the slum
areas.
Similarly, the vision of Water Supply aims at ensuring equitable access of safe drinking water
to all. Some of the proposed strategies for this include: 1. Increased coverage through individual
service connections; 2. Improved water distribution system by controlling leakages and
installing bulk domestic water meters to control unaccounted for water and provide incentives
to legalize unauthorized connections. 3. Installation of bulk flow meters at the water treatment
plants (WTP) and overhead tanks (OHT) and also consumer level metering; 4. Targeting
subsidies to the poor; 5. To develop a process for management and monitoring of quality of
water supplied and its implementation; 6. Setting up of a grievance redressal cell; 7. Promoting
rainwater harvesting; and 8. Regulatory measures for groundwater use.
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Annexures
Facets of Bihar’s Urbanisation
Urban4 Units in Bihar
Table 3: Classification of Towns and Cities in Bihar and their Numbers
Category
Million plus city
No. of urban agglomeration
No. of cities
No. of towns
Class I
Class II
Source: Census 2011.
Number
01 (Patna)
14
26
139
14
21
Table 4: Indicators on Urbanisation
Name of
country/
state
Level of
urbanisation*
Urban
Decadal
Population
Growth
Rate*
Sex
ratio in
urban
areas*
Literacy
rate in
urban
areas*
Urban
poverty
(In %)**
Per
Capita
Income
(Rs) ***
Slum
population
as % of
urban
population**
Bihar
11.30
35.11
891
78.75
39.4
16,119 5.98
India
31.16
17.64
926
84.98
20.9
46,492 14.88
Source: *Census 2011; **Poverty Estimates for 2009-10, Planning Commission, Govt. of India: *** RBI Handbook of
Statistics on Indian Economy 2010-11: **** Census 2001.
4 For definition of rural, urban, and town areas, visit http://censusindia.gov.in/Metadata/Metada.htm#2a.
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HUP in Bihar
Health of the Urban Poor (HUP) Program is supporting
government of India (GOI) and eight state governments and five
cities in improving the health outcomes in the urban areas. In
Bihar, the HUP Program is being implemented by Plan India,
Patna with support from Population Foundation of India and
funding support from USAID India. One of its important
objectives is to ensure availability of safe and quality drinking
water in a sustainable manner in the urban areas of Bihar. Our
initiatives in Bihar have aimed at improving the health status of
the urban poor by strengthening the efforts, through technical
services, of the Govt. of Bihar at its various departments such as
Health and Family Welfare, Urban Development and Housing,
Public Health Engineering, Social Welfare, Urban Local Bodies.
HUP also works with Civil Society Organizations. HUP also helps
the NRHM in promoting mechanisms for institutional
convergence so that aspects like equity, active participation of
the community, strong effective governance at all levels for
sustaining the improved health outcomes, etc. are in focus. The
Program has ensured child protection compliance in all the
activities and initiatives. HUP has also been involved in ToT of
ICDS functionaries on WASH and safe drinking water at Point of
Use (POU), orientation of City Managers on urban health,
Sensitization of officials and representatives on PPP issues. HUP
has been nominated by PHED, Govt. of Bihar as an expert
advisory member in core committee of "Manav Vikas Mission" to
prepare the roadmap for Bihar on WATSAN.
For more information please contact:
Health of the Urban Poor (HUP) Program
Population Foundation of India
B-28, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016, Tel: 91-11-43894166, Fax: 91-11-43894199
E-mail: info_hup@populationfoundation.in, www.populationfoundation.in
Local HUP Partner:
Plan International (India Chapter)
323, A Patliputra Colony, Patna, Bihar
Tel: 0612-3262008, Fax: 0612-2270878
www.planindia.org, www.plan-international.org
This document is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The
contents are the responsibility of the Population Foundation of India and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.