Avani Kapur’s Post

Desludging fee calculator Last time I wrote about #FSSM #Byelaws. One crucial component of bye-laws is to fix the #desludging #fee. At the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, we did a study (thanks to Er.Manish Mishra and @Sarim) to understand the economics of desludging. There are two major determinants of the desludging fee - no. of trips per day and the total distance travelled per trip. With this understanding, we have developed a #desludging #Cost #calculator that would help the cities to fix context-specific desludging fees, which is currently done arbitrarily. This is crucial to provide #affordable services to the citizen, which can only make the #sanitation services #sustainable. This calculator can be utilised by #everyone, across #boundaries. #UttarPradesh #urban #development #department has suggested the cities utilise the tool while fixing the fees. Many cities are doing this. I have written a small piece based on our experience, published in Down To Earth. My special thanks to Arpit Agarwal for helping design the tool. Read article: https://lnkd.in/g27pS9tg Download the Disludging Cost Calculator from: https://lnkd.in/g4Gt4aQN Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry of Jal Shakti Namami Gange The World Bank Group UNICEF India Sanitation CoalitionSanitation and Water for All - a UNICEF-hosted global partnership International Water Management Institute (IWMI)International Water Association National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) NFSSM Alliance Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) African Water and Sanitation Association _ Association Africaine de l'Eau et de l'Assainissement African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW)Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationRoshan Raj ShresthaSakshi GudwaniDepinder Kapur Susmita Sengupta Dr. Sumita Singhal Joseph Ravikumar Krishna C Rao Hari Prakash Haihyvanshi Jyoti Prasad Dadhich Harsh Yadava Alka Naneria PwC India KPMG India Pavan Kumar Department of Urban Development & Municipal Affairs Government of West Bengal Odisha Urban Academy (OUA)

Congratulations on introducing this calculator, well done. However, we need to be aware that private tanker operators are the most crucial component of the entire FSM concept. They are self-employed, and historically, the government has not provided any support to them, nor is there a plan to do so in the future. Any action we take will have financial implications for the tanker operators, which may ultimately discourage them from remaining in business. Therefore, while fixing prices may seem attractive, we must also consider whether we are creating an enabling environment for these operators to conduct their business. Governments tend to be proficient in setting rates, but there should also be a provision for mandatory annual rate reviews. If rate revisions do not occur annually, the entire effort may be in vain. This could lead to operators ceasing their business operations or create opportunities for rent-seeking behavior. These positive initiatives should not end up resembling another Bombay Rent Act, which is extensively studied in public policy circles.

Jal Jeevan Mission “Harghar Jal “ aims at providing safe & potable water to every rural community in time bound manner ie upto March 2024. As per JJM dash board so for plus 13 crore (almost 75%) house hold are provided with tap connections.Theoretically it is excellent achievement. Water being state subject, it is all state wide implementation agencies to plan & implemente JJM program. As conceived JJM is community managed program with involvement of community. Key for implementation was “Jan Andolan” but seems to be missing on ground. Studies & critical Analysis suggest that 1.sprit of JJM program was not understood by state executing agencies ie right & effective planning with involvement of community as conceived in JJM guidelines to prepare VAP but almost not happened on ground. 2. Program is based on demand driven principle but nodal agencies acted on the age old theory of supply driven system. Issues so arising A. Due to lack of knowledge and skills among implementation agencies, projects have been not planned & designed in accordance with JJM norms & CPHEEO guidelines. Hence projects planned were neither technically feasible nor financially viable. B. In appropriate selection of pipe materials. Impacting the service life and operation & maintenance sustainability. C. Lack of quality control during construction ie use of under quality materials & bad workmanship. Impacting system sustainability. D. Major Challenges - Source is soul of drinking water supply scheme. Requirement is to ensure security & sustainability of source/s over full design period ie in terms of water quantity & quality. - 70% of schemes r based on ground water based sources. Considering the past trends of ground water status & present lean period safe yield , assessment of water quality potential sources selection needed but sources feasibility studies not taken care of while planning the projects. 50% of schemes so for implemented based on ground water sources r not sustainable. No action taken by implementing agencies to ensure ground water sustainability. Resulting in under/ non functioning of water supply schemes. Hence impacting functionality of House Hold Tap Connections. - Being community maintained & managed program, requirement is affordability which is almost lacking. Impacting functionality & long term sustainability of schemes. Reason inappropriate selection of type of scheme. Not acceptable to community. - study of Gujarat suggested that regional WSS r white elephant as requires huge operation & maintenance recurring cost. In future - example Madhya Pradesh requires Rs 2500 Cr or more annually for maintenance of MVS from state budget. Immediate action is much needed to ensure source sustainability - a climate resilient solution & affordability So that huge investment involved under JJM program can be utilised. #worldbank #adb #ndb #usaid #unicefindia #akf #rwsn #gwp #sida #siwi #jjm #jjmunops #denmarkinindia #unops

Revamping water governance is crucial for India's growth. Let's embrace integrated water management and community participation for a resilient future.  https://lnkd.in/gBUk5vRe #WaterResources #ClimateChangeAdaptation #WaterSustainability #WaterGovernance #IndiaWaterPolicy #SustainableWaterManagement #WaterConservation #wae

Any calculator or any app, needs a ground truthing reality check. What is the current status of desludging in small, medium and large towns of UP, what is the current fee per trip that makes desludging viable? This reality check was provided by Sanjay Singh for their grounded work in the state of UP by working with private sector desludgers. Their work showed that atleast 2 trips a day are needed for smaller towns and atleast 4 for larger towns - for a private de sludging tanker to be financially viable The bigger question still remains - why is daily delsulsging so low in UP and other states of India and what needs to be done about this? Unless this is addressed first, nothing much can really be done with the help of apps and tools.

Kudos to @IWCShillong for taking the lead in making #watersecurity a real issue in #governance for #sustainability. Urgent need to adopt #naturebasedsolutions on the ground @MinOfJalShakti WRI India Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA)

📊 The World Bank releases a report analyzing water spending in 130 countries. 💰 Annual spending on water is around $164.6 billion (2017 prices), roughly 0.5% of GDP, with 91% from the public sector and 7% from official development assistance. 💧 Over half of the spending goes to water supply and sanitation, but there's a significant gap to meet SDG targets, needing a tripling of current investments. Find SWM's latest article to learn more. https://lnkd.in/d5uXJ7s8 #water #watersecurity #sdgs #sanitation

#Efficiency saves lives. Arjun Thapan, global #water and #sanitation #policy expert and GBPG Advisory Board Member explains how #India must tackle its #water crisis. Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/eKZsxv-Q

💧What: A $100 million policy-based loan to support Sri Lanka’s water supply and sanitation sector reforms    💧Why: Water resources management in Sri Lanka has faced longstanding challenges such as unbalanced allocation between agriculture and drinking water, lack of climate change planning, multiple stakeholders, and effects of unplanned land use and deforestation.      “This program will not only strengthen mechanisms to ensure adequate access to safe water,” said Senior Urban Development Specialist Pedro Almeida, “but also address governance and sustainability challenges of the sector that will enable the participation of the private sector.”      Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gKzF8U3Y: A $100 million policy-based loan to support Sri Lanka’s water supply and sanitation sector reforms 

🌊 Exciting news from Ethiopia's Amhara region! 🚀 We're thrilled to announce the launch of the Amhara Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) - Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Platform. This pivotal initiative aims to tackle the pressing challenges of water scarcity and management in one of the country's crucial growth corridors. By enhancing coordination between water management and WASH projects, the platform strives to ensure sustainable use of water resources, improve livelihoods, and protect the environment. With the backing of the Abbay Basin Administration Office, the Amhara Regional State Bureau for Water and Energy, and international partners like the World Resources Institute and UNICEF, the platform marks a significant step forward in integrated water resource management. Join us in supporting this transformative effort that promises to bring about lasting change in the region. Read more about how this platform is setting a new standard for water governance and community collaboration in our full article. https://lnkd.in/gPYTdJRn #WaterManagement #Sustainability #IWRM #Ethiopia #Amhara #WASH #Environment #GlobalDevelopment