India – Novel rural sanitation prototype

This might come as a relief for women from rural Gulbarga. Sharan Desai, a technocrat from Gulbarga, has come out with the prototype of a toilet that meets the needs of rural women. The prototype has already evinced interest among government agencies, NGOs and local leaders as well. The model, conceived by Desai, promises to be simple, low-cost, and above all user-friendly. It is also easy to build and maintain. The cost of each unit ranges from Rs8,000 to Rs12,000. However if they are constructed for the community as a whole, the cost could be brought down drastically.

The toilets can be built using local materials like wooden poles, dry grass, bricks, stones and tin sheets.The toilet itself has adequate ventilation. Desai said it does not need much maintenance and waste is channelised into a pit. For general maintenance and cleanliness, one person can attend it The structure does not need as much water as required in the urban flush out toilets. A barrel of water kept outside would meet the needs of the users.