Unsafe sanitation: Ahmedabad slum struggles with open defecation, non-functional toilets

By Rachit Gupta, Rishabh Bansal, Saurav S, Siddhika Parekh*
A distressing situation in the Jogrimatanichali area near Bhavan College/Cama Hotel was brought to our attention by a group of students from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) who raised the alarm over the deplorable living conditions faced by the residents, including rampant open defecation, non-functional public toilets, and the prevailing practice of manual scavenging.
The students' investigation revealed a dire state of sanitation facilities in Jogrimatanichali. Despite Ahmedabad being declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), the reality on the ground seems to paint a different picture. A lack of functioning public toilets with proper drainage and water supply infrastructure has forced residents to resort to open defecation. Photographs taken by us suggest inadequate and unusable condition of dry toilets without proper drainage systems.

There are a number of paid toilets were in operation, exploiting the basic dignity of residents. These paid facilities, which were expected to offer running water, failed to do so, leaving users to transport water from their homes for flushing. The unsanitary conditions within these facilities pose a grave risk to residents' health and well-being.
Then there are 6-7 toilets with water supply that are “paid” toilets. Based on interactions with the local residents, it came to light that a contractor collects money from the residents as tax for using the toilet every Sunday. They are unsure whether this money is collected officially or not. If not, then this amounts to exploiting their need to protect their fundamental dignity.
A close look at these toilets showed that they also didn’t have running water. People had to carry water from their homes to flush. You can imagine the extent of the cleanliness, odour and hygiene in these toilets. Furthermore, the one wash basin outside these toilets was leaking, and all the water was getting wasted, again of no use to the residents.

There are two mobile toilet vans in the area again without any water supply or drainage to flush out the sludge. These, instead, seem to be breeding grounds for unruly elements in society doing wrongful activities.

Manual scavenging and safety hazards

Perhaps even more disturbing is the prevalence of manual scavenging in the area. The students encountered a woman engaged in cleaning the open defecation areas and toilets without any safety equipment or protection. Manual scavengers in the area are risking their health and safety due to the lack of proper gear and resources to carry out their work safely.
The students, upon discovering the dire situation, took several steps to address the issues. They communicated with people in charge, urging immediate action to clean and refurbish the existing toilets while ensuring a consistent water supply. However, the response from them was disheartening, citing a land ownership dispute as a barrier to resolving the problem.

Grave sanitation crisis in Jogrimatanichali sparks urgent appeal for intervention. The students want to thus make their plea to the concerned authorities to urgently request the following steps to be taken:

Provide necessary resources for drainage facilities and water supply to make public toilets functional.
Ensure proper safety equipment and protective gear for individuals engaged in sanitation work, particularly manual scavengers.

There are complexities involved in tackling such issues but it is important to also emphasize the extreme nature of the situation in Jogrimatanichali. Immediate intervention is essential to safeguard the residents' dignity, hygiene, and health.

The students' collective effort shines a spotlight on the urgent need for action in Jogrimatanichali. By addressing these pressing concerns, the relevant authorities can uphold the well-being and dignity of the area's residents. The students remain hopeful that their appeal will lead to swift and effective action, ultimately transforming the distressing living conditions into a safer and more dignified environment for all.
There is hope that, in line with India's 77th Independence Day celebrations and the Swachch Bharat initiative, immediate and impactful action would be taken to address these pressing concerns.
---
*Students of IIM Ahmedabad

Comments

Gujarat Information Commission issues warning against misinterpretation of RTI orders

By A Representative The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has issued a press note clarifying that its orders limiting the number of Right to Information (RTI) applications for certain individuals apply only to those specific applicants. The GIC has warned that it will take disciplinary action against any public officials who misinterpret these orders to deny information to other citizens. The press note, signed by GIC Secretary Jaideep Dwivedi, states that the Right to Information Act, 2005, is a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration. However, the commission has observed that some applicants are misusing the act by filing an excessive number of applications, which disproportionately consumes the time and resources of Public Information Officers (PIOs), First Appellate Authorities (FAAs), and the commission itself. This misuse can cause delays for genuine applicants seeking justice. In response to this issue, and in acc...

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

'MGNREGA crisis deepening': NSM demands fair wages and end to digital exclusions

By A Representative The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a coalition of independent unions of MGNREGA workers, has warned that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is facing a “severe crisis” due to persistent neglect and restrictive measures imposed by the Union Government.

Gandhiji quoted as saying his anti-untouchability view has little space for inter-dining with "lower" castes

By A Representative A senior activist close to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has defended top Booker prize winning novelist Arundhati Roy’s controversial utterance on Gandhiji that “his doctrine of nonviolence was based on an acceptance of the most brutal social hierarchy the world has ever known, the caste system.” Surprised at the police seeking video footage and transcript of Roy’s Mahatma Ayyankali memorial lecture at the Kerala University on July 17, Nandini K Oza in a recent blog quotes from available sources to “prove” that Gandhiji indeed believed in “removal of untouchability within the caste system.”

Targeted eviction of Bengali-speaking Muslims across Assam districts alleged

By A Representative A delegation led by prominent academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey visited three districts in Assam—Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur—between 2 and 4 September 2025 to meet families affected by recent demolitions and evictions. The delegation reported widespread displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim communities, many of whom possess valid citizenship documents including Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards, PAN cards, and NRC certification.

'Centre criminally negligent': SKM demands national disaster declaration in flood-hit states

By A Representative The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has urged the Centre to immediately declare the recent floods and landslides in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Haryana as a national disaster, warning that the delay in doing so has deepened the suffering of the affected population.

Saffron Kingdom – a cinematic counter-narrative to The Kashmir Files

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* “Saffron Kingdom” is a film produced in the United States by members of the Kashmiri diaspora, positioned as a response to the 2022 release “The Kashmir Files.” While the latter focused on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits and framed Kashmiri Muslims as perpetrators of violence, “Saffron Kingdom” seeks to present an alternate perspective—highlighting the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims facing alleged abuses by Indian security forces.

'Govts must walk the talk on gender equality, right to health, human rights to deliver SDGs by 2030'

By A Representative With just 64 months left to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global health and rights advocates have called upon governments to honour their commitments on gender equality and the human right to health. Speaking ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), experts warned that rising anti-rights and anti-gender pushes are threatening hard-won progress on SDG-3 (health and wellbeing) and SDG-5 (gender equality).

From lazy to lost? The myths and realities behind generational panic about youth

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak Older generations in many societies often describe the young with labels such as “lazy, unproductive, lost, anxious, depoliticised, unpatriotic or wayward.” Others see them as “social media, mobile phone and porn addicts.” Such judgments arise from a generational anxiety rooted in fears of losing control and from distorted perceptions about youth, especially in the context of economic crises, conflicts, and wars in which many young lives are lost.

Counterview

Search This Blog