🇮🇳 India's sanitation crisis | Al Jazeera English

Open Defecation: A Daily Ritual00:00:02

The video opens by showing people, young and old, using railway tracks as an open-air bathroom due to a lack of toilets. This is a common sight in India, particularly in slum areas like one with 500 houses and no toilets.

Failed Toilet Initiatives and Health Risks00:00:23

Anjali, a 25-year resident, describes the daily struggle of open defecation. She shows uncompleted public toilets that are now just a source of filth. This practice puts children, some as young as two, at serious risk of disease.

Mobile Phones vs. Toilets00:01:00

Only 31% of Indians have access to toilets, forcing the majority to defecate in the open. A United Nations study reveals that more Indians have access to mobile phones than to toilets. The mobile phone market is booming, with over 545 million users, projected to reach a billion by 2015, even among the poorest.

Attempts at Improvement and the Need for Prioritization00:01:33

Some government efforts involve providing pay-per-use toilets, but these are insufficient and often unaffordable. Experts emphasize the urgent need for India to prioritize sanitation as a basic necessity, especially for women and children, and to accelerate development in this area.

Modernity vs. Basic Needs00:02:09

The video concludes by highlighting the paradox of India's rapid modernization alongside the ongoing struggle of its people to access basic necessities like sanitation.