Adequate water and sanitation are basically fundamental to every person. It is essential for better health and good life of dignity. The human rights entitle everyone without discrimination to adequate water and sanitation. These are key elements of life, they ensure human health. Moreover, they contribute to social and economic development. Improving access to drinking water and sanitation is one of the least expensive and most effective ways of improving public health, save lives and eradicating poverty. Infact our government is taking so many initiatives into this direction, many campaigns are being organised to aware people, we can see various kinds of advertisements on television regarding the same.
ADVERSE EFFECTS
I am from Delhi and when you have to face such kinds of chronic and intense problems in Metropolitan cities, it’s really disheartening. If we have to witness all this in the capital, I can imagine the worst conditions in the less developed regions, and the agony of less fortunate ones. This is like a trauma and sometimes you eagerly want to help people regarding the problems related to water and sanitation. These are very serious issues in our country hindering the overall development of people. They needs urgent attention as they have immensely negative impacts on communities and the environment at large. 783 million people do not have access to clean water, for them water sources are either far away, or unaffordable. There are many slums in Delhi like Seelampur, Shastri park etc and the condition of people, their low quality of living disturbing. I feel pity about their conditions, there is lack of proper facilities and even if water and sanitation are being provided , there is no maintenance at all. It leads to many diseases, for example Diarrhea, cholera, Typhoid, Polio etc, the unhygienic and unsafe environment in which poor people are compelled to lead their lives is sad. In last century the rate of water use growth is more than twice that of population growth.
MORE PROBLEM FOR FEMALES AND CHILDREN
Especially for girls, i can understand the problems and concerns of those poor females who don’t even get these basic things which is everyone’s right. Due to lack of proper amenities, there is devastating effect on their health. Many people die every year, particularly children under five. Almost all this untreated sewage is being dumped into rivers, lakes and oceans. The wildlife that inhabits these areas is not only harmed but is in turn harmful to the people in surrounding communities. This damage costs millions of rupees, affecting sustainability and economy on a global scale. Its so difficult for them to sustain their lives and ultimately it endangers the health of humans as well as the ecosystem. Everyone can feel the pain which poor women have to endure, their fear of attacks, physical and sexual violence when they have to search for a private place to defecate or urinate, Its highly tormenting for them. Especially during pregnancy or menstruation, it is so unhygienic and even its very risky for the health of both the mother and the baby. UNICEF AND WHO report of 2012 states that number of people with access to safe drinking water has halved between 1990 and 2010. It also states that efforts to improve basic sanitation facilities have been insufficient and off track.
If people are going to get these basic facilities, then at the basic level, they can spend more time in education and other better works,when they have to spend less time ill or fetching water or travelling to far places to find safer places. There are substantial economic benefits of education and healthy citizens will lead to a healthy and developed nation. These issues plays a pivotal role in keeping countries poor and in a developing country like India, we as responsible citizens can take a step forward, educating and awaring people through campaigns, these days everyone has access to internet so through this medium we can spread vast knowledge about consequences and benefits of improving these things, as it is very necessary to work on these for the wellbeing of people and to build an ideal and admirable society.