Narayan Prasad Ghimire/RSS
Kathmandu, Nov 29: In his 2013 blog to the World Bank, Johannes Zutt, wrote ‘Nepal aims to be open defecation free (ODF)’. Celebrating the declaration of ODF status to Bhaktapur district, Jutt then mentioned, “September 21, 2013 marked an important milestone for all households in Nangkhel and the other villages and municipalities in the district: Bhaktapur was declared ODF.”
He continued the celebration, “Village by village, city by city, district by district, Nepal aims to be completely ODF by 2017. It is an inspiring example for other countries who want to deliver the same results to their citizens.”
The ODF drive was launched in Nepal after 1990, a timeline when nearly 6 percent households were supposed to have toilets in the country. The sanitation campaign was rise along with establishment of toilet. The government and donor agencies poured in millions of rupees for the sanitation schemes coupled with the toilet construction in the villages, districts and towns where there was open defecation rife. For pooping or peeing, rushing behind bush, on field or near water body in open was so common that it took a huge toll on health.
In order to enforce the project, the government also brought new policy and strategies aligned with the development goals including the global initiatives- Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and later with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The Water and Sanitation Strategy, 1997 was an initial and ambitious document, setting the target of achieving 100 percent sanitation coverage in Nepal by 2017.
Initially Nepal had aimed at meeting the ODF target by 2017, however, it was realized two years later- in 2019.
Since 1990 to 1919, the country witnessed ODF drive spree- local development officers in some districts were even in the competition- which one to declare the district ODF at the earliest. Then village development committees (VDCs) and wards were indeed in pressure to set up toilets in each household and secure the social entitlements. The ODF campaign was linked to bureaucrats’ performance and evaluation as well.
Worryingly, the ODF competition even saw the construction of pit latrines that failed to meet standard. Some districts made ODF declaration with subpar essential facilities. The news stories on these had made headlines.
It was Kaski district to be declared ODF first in Nepal.
ODF zones sans toilets
Irrespective of the achievement the country made on ODF, the stories from different parts of the country are still making media headlines that toilet is still not accessible for thousands of people. It has posed a question whether ODF drive paid heed to sustainability to projects of sanitation and toilet.
A recent story the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) reporter brought from a district in Madhes Province is a stark reminder, “Over 4,000 households in Lahan municipality lack toilets”. The story disseminated on November 19 must have drawn attention of many while the World Toilet Day is observed on the every Day, November 19.
It was appalling in deed that irrespective of numerous projects and plans forwarded and put in place by government and NGO initiatives on health, sanitation and public awareness in Nepal, Lahan municipality of Siraha district was found having no toilets for 4,200 households. It was disclosed after a recent survey conducted by the municipality itself.
Of total 24,700 houses in the municipality, 17 percent were deprived of access to toilet, posing a serious threat to health and sanitation. As per news, Municipality Mayor Mahesh Prasad Chaudhary had shared this information organizing a press conference.
It is worth mentioning that Lahan municipality was declared ODF zone in 2017. “It is worrying such a huge number of households are running without basic need. Time has come to change the situation by reaching every household,” Mayor said. As in other provinces, Dalit, landless, poor and disaster-prone settlements are continuing open defecation.
Moreover, another State-run media, The Rising Nepal, ran an editorial on November 21, bringing similar story and concern from Karnali Province.
The daily wrote that three percent of households in Karnali remain without toilet and that 30 per cent of toilets built during the ODF campaign are rudimentary or temporary and need urgent upgrading. It was shared by Mohan Kumar Shakya, Secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy Development of Karnali Province at a programme organized to mark the World Toilet Day. As the editorial further explained Karnali Province was declared an ODF zone in June 2018 after toilets were built in all households.
It is sheer contradiction that the National Population and Housing Census, 2021 found 4.5 percent of the Nepali households not having access to any toilet facility, while Nepal was declared open defecation free (ODF) country in 2019. Is it mere discrepancy in data or a gross gap in paper and practice? It suggests many were left behind in the toilet and sanitation bandwagon, thereby underlining the need of breaking the barriers to construction and use of toilet.
More than humble toilet
As Jutt explained in 2013, ODF drive gained momentum from one village after another, one city after another, finally making Nepal ODF country in 2019. However, the stories above from Madhes and Karnali provinces raised multiple alarms: Nepalis are to face more health risks; ODF movement belittled sustainability issues; ignorance of multi-tiers of government in the wake of federalism to retain the ODF achievements; and excessive dependency of Nepali administrators and development practitioners on donors, among others. The above stories are mere representatives, while the fecal waste management- broader than simply the establishment of toilet and its use- has been a tough job for many districts including Kathmandu of late. With rapid urbanization triggered by the internal migration and concentration of opportunities in cities, management of humble toilets to rising population in the cities will evidently be an increasing urgency. The Kathmandu Valley itself has no adequate and convenient public toilets, let alone other cities and municipalities.
In this connection, expert on development and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), Dr Ganga Datta Nepal, also reminds that there was a kind of competition among various districts to declare ODF.
He, however, argued if the ODF campaign was not launched then, the sanitation status could not improve and contribute to Nepal’s health improvement. “The drive was instrumental in changing people’s attitude and building knowledge on significance of toilet,” Dr Nepal said, reminding those odd times that people had to be encouraged to use toilet.
Time for waste to energy
The ODF was launched before federalism. Whether it is to speed up development projects or prompt public services including health and social benefits, the local levels are expected much to deliver. Sanitation at local level falls under its rights. However, ignoring such imperative is disappointing.
In a question why there are still thousands of Nepalis deprived of toilets in different districts, Dr Nepal argues, “In the federal context, the attention of people’s representatives at local level should have been focused on sanitation, health, and sustainable use of and access to toilet, but they largely ran after most noticeable works as road construction linking it to immediate popularity and political gain. It evidently put the issues of clean toilet and sanitation in back burner.”
At the same time, broader management of waste and sanitation schemes is not possible by the local levels’ efforts in his view. He said, “Although the local levels are given exclusive rights on basic health and sanitation, they are technically and financially incapable to launch sustainable projects on waste management. So, the province governments must extend adequate support to this regard.”
Dr Nepal who engaged in sanitation sector for long- both as a public official and expert in the international organizations- further suggested the province governments that they launched and intensified the projects on management of fecal sludge and solid waste, thereby realizing the concept of ‘waste to energy’ and ‘waste to revenue’.
Initiatives and achievements
Despite above upsetting news stories from different parts, some local levels have done wonderful on waste management. Dhangadhi Sub-metropolis of Sudurpaschim Province comes at top, setting an example of the green and clean movement. The fecal sludge treatment centre now towards completion in Dhangadhi Sub-metropolis will certainly be a model undertaking in the waste management. Similarly, Waling and Lamahi are some others to add.
According to the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO), Nepal has made a significant progress in WASH sector, achieving 95.5 percent sanitation coverage and 88.6 percent water supply coverage. There data obviously deserve compliment.
Earlier in 2016, the final status report prepared by the National Planning Commission on MDG had stated, “As of 2015, about 83.6 percent of households had access to an improved source of drinking water and 81 percent had access to sanitation (toilets).” In deed, the sanitation drive had a vital role in improving other health indictors in Nepal and it is one of the achievements both the government and international communities hailed.
Vulnerable groups await attention
In addition to the achievements Nepal has made on the fronts of health and sanitation, there is no denying that Nepalis are braving multiple vulnerabilities every year spanning floods, especially in the Tarai/Madhes to landslides in hilly regions that cause health risks. Even the larger shocks like the earthquake were the times creating strong barriers to practice of sanitation including clean toilets. The floods which have been triggered unexpectedly by the climate change pose further seriousness. Even the landless settlements and those staying on the bank of rivers e.g. of Bagmati River face acute problem of drinking water, foods and toilet during floods and inundation. As saving lives becomes first priority in crises, arrangement of even a makeshift toilet is difficult.
Time has come for Nepal to retain achievements and stop backsliding from the progress on health and sanitation by paying special attention to poor and vulnerable communities. In this regard, clean and future-ready toilet must come at top. Leaving vulnerable ones behind any sanitation movement not only dents development but also metes out sheer injustice.
Published on 2025-11-29 08:28
