World Toilet Day: Two years after Swachh Bharat campaign, millions practice open defecation

According to a report, India ranks top for having the greatest number of urbanites living without a safe and private toilet.

New Delhi, Nov 19: As countries across the globe are observing World Toilet Day on Saturday, India is facing a sanitation crisis.

According to a report, India ranks top for having the greatest number of urbanites living without a safe and private toilet.

"India ranks top for having the greatest number of urbanites living without a safe, private toilet -- 157 million -- as well as the most urban dwellers practising open defecation-- 41 million," the report by WaterAid, a UK-based charity working in the field of safe water and sanitation, said.

"In today's India, 381 million people -- a population roughly the size of Western Europe -- live in rapidly expanding urban areas, and 157 million of those people have nowhere decent to go to the toilet," added the report.

The report clearly reflects that even after two years since the pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign, was launched, lakhs of Indians have no access to toilets.

World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis -- a topic often neglected and shrouded in taboos.

According to reports, around 2.4 billion people are struggling to stay well, keep their children alive and work their way to a better future - all for the want of a toilet.

OneIndia News