NASA -New Concept Of Management In The Toilet Sector

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National Sanitation and Enviornment Improvment Foundation
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NASA FOUNDATION, AHMEDABAD

About NASA - New Concept Of Management In The Toilet Sector
(PUBLIC HEALTH)

The organization, renamed as National Sanitation & Environment Improvement Foundation (NASA), is equipped with full-time engineers and field staff to look into this sector, and engineering and maintenance of such complexes is began maintaining community sanitation systems numbering 40-45 in different parts of Gujarat on the “Pay & Use” basis.

The State Transport Corporation of Gujarat assigned NASA to maintain its public sanitation system at its bus stations by its own staff. It has helped ST Corporation to lesson its burden of paying salary to Safai Kamdar (Toilet Attendants), and also the burden of repairing the same from time to time.

“We hired the same workers (the Scheduled Castes and Tribes) who previously did scavenging work by giving them an opportunity to earn independently from a different type of cleaning system.

“At the end of 10 years we were able to construct and maintain such system at important pilgrim places of Gujarat like Dwarka, Dakor, Ambaji, Somnath etc which was the first effort of its kind in Gujarat.” says Mr. Parikh

Gradually, in a span of 5-6 years NASA took over at least 30 such complexes in Ahmedabad city in different areas, and “we tried to serve people residing in

Ripples created by NASA’s work reached far and wide. Gujarat Maritime Board assigned NASA to set up such systems at Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Bhavnagar, and Veraval and Porbandar, all of which are functioning smoothly till date. NASA has expanded operations to include public hospitals namely Civil Hospital, Cancer Hospital, U N Mehta Foundation (Heart Foundation), V. S. Hospital in Ahmedabad, the Civil Hospitals in Junagadh, Navsari, Mehsana and Vadodara SSG hospital etc.

The concept and facilities attached to hospitals is new in all respects. By such system, all visitors use toilet/urinal facilities that are separately managed. At present NASA is maintaining about 100 such community sanitation systems at different places, with different type of users, and serving all strata of people, mostly on “Pay & Use” basis. As the new concept gains ground, women have become more comfortable in all respects.

CONCEPT OF SELF-FINANCE

NASA receives no grant from the government. We, at NASA run our organization independently with our own funds, which we generate from maintenance of such complexes, and also from donations from like-minded friends who favour such a system—a direct result of public opinion built by our efforts.

We taken such work to various smaller cities too. At present, three Nagar Palika (or municipalities) namely Modasa Nagar Palika, Zalod Nagar Palika and Vadhvan Nagar Palika have built community toilet/bath facilities for their residents which are being maintained free of charge. We maintain the same with our own staff. Our aim is to spread our network to other Nagar Palikas and to other hospitals, to other pilgrim places, and to serve slum areas of cities also. NASA received small funds as a help in our efforts from the government of Netherlands. Not only that, but our work spread and it has inspired other organizations to take up such work and at present within 15 years of time Gujarat has at least ten such organizations, working in some cities.

In maintaining the facilities better methods must be used for safai workers.
All such government & semi-government bodies should be convinced to provide such services to people by creating infrastructure to suit such a need.

Originally organization’s name was “National Sanitation & Bhangi Mukti Foundation” registered under Public Trust Act and Society Registration Act in Gujarat, which was the first of its kind in Gujarat. Mr. Parikh convinced some to his organization.

HELPING IN CREATING AWARENESS FOR USING TOILETS

In creating awareness for the importance of individual toilet in rural areas, NASA mobilized some funds for giving award to those voluntary agencies who have done good work in rural areas. Such voluntary agencies were given awards in last four years for constructing individual toilets—amounting to at least Rs. 2 Lacs. NASA is keen to spread the message that cleanliness is next to Godliness by its different approach to this problem, by its track record of the last 15 years.

WATER AND ITS IMPORTANCE

There can be no sanitation without water. The World Bank also emphasized water along with sanitation. Therefore, in its efforts to create an awareness about preserving rain water, and to pursue the idea further NASA instituted awards to voluntary agencies. Out of 60 voluntary agencies active in Jal Sanchay (Water Harvesting) work NASA selected eight agencies and distributed awards of Rupees 1, 50, 000 each for their dedicated work. Both water and sanitation go hand in hand, and NASA increasingly opens and expands newer avenues for its goals

THE SCENARIO OF TIOLET CONSCIOUSNESS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Sanitation and toilet management is institutionalized in other countries. During November-2001, an organization named as “World Toilet Organization” was established at Singapore, where representatives of major Asian Countries assembled, and NASA forthwith became a its member.

The main objective of the WTO is to create public opinion in favour of community toilet complexes in major cities of member countries. It functions as a catalyst amongst member countries’ authorities who will invest funds in creating such facilities.

World Toilet Organization (WTO), based in Singapore, is a non-profit organization founded by the Restroom Association of Singapore, Japan Toilet Association, Korea Clean Toilet Association, Taiwan Toilet Association and Vietnam Toilet Association. Since India has no such association, NASA is seriously deliberating on founding an indigenous association in India, to further forge and strengthen its links with the WTO.

Membership is being extended to associations in China, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Australia, Mexico, USA, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and Spain.

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