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World Bank looks at replicating Pune's sanitation projectBy Sumit Kumar, Section Development
Developing countries' representatives study Pune Municipal Corporation's community-based, citywide project to improve hygiene
If the Germans came trooping in to learn from Pune's mistakes of bad infrastructure, a World Bank team is in the city to study Pune Municipal Corporation's Slum Sanitation Programme for replicating it in developing countries with hygiene problems. The representatives from five countries, where the World Bank is implementing Water and Sanitation Programme, are in the city to study the slum programme initiated in 1999-2000 under the then municipal commissioner and current Yashada director Ratnakar Gaikwad. A team headed by Washington-based Water and Sanitation Programme global manager Ede Ijjasz and regional team leader for South Asia Catherine Revels, along with water and sanitation specialists from Peru, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Senegal visited the sites in Pune where the Slum Sanitation Programme had been implemented. The programme involved construction of over 7,000 toilet blocks in all the city's slums in a span of two financial years 1999-2001. The programme was unique in that it involved community participation of all stakeholders, from the slum-dwellers to administrators and NGOs. Moreover, it was launched on a citywide basis, without focusing on specific pockets.
``We have been studying water and sanitation programmes in various countries. The community-based and citywide approach used here in Pune is very impressive and we will definitely look at replicating these principles in other developing countries,'' Ijjasz said.
Another aspect which has drawn the team is the empowerment of the community through this programme, especially of women. In the Slum and Sanitation Programme, while the construction was carried out by private engineers supervised by the PMC, slum-dwellers were also consulted on crucial aspects of design of the toilet blocks. Women's organisations like the Mahila Milan took active part in the sourcing and procurement of construction materials, and even the actual construction. ``The Mahila Milan took over construction of 140 toilet blocks, and even now, women's organisations have completely taken over administration and maintenance of these blocks,'' Gaikwad said.
`This behavioural aspect, in which people consciously opt for better sanitation, is what we wish to achieve in other developing countries. For instance, we would like to achieve a situation where people commit themselves to maintaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) zones,'' Islamabad-based water and sanitation specialist Masroor Ahmad said.
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