How one Rajasthan town is transforming sanitation through community action

By Bharat Dogra 

Sanitation has long been a weak link in the development of peri-urban areas, and the small town of Khamnor in South Rajasthan reflected this reality until about five years ago. Garbage lay scattered across the town, often clogging water sources and creating an unhealthy environment.

However, the situation has improved significantly in recent years. Markets, residential areas, and water sources are now much cleaner. This improvement is particularly welcome because Khamnor is located close to the historic site of Haldighati, which attracts a large number of visitors.

As Rekha Khatik, a resident of the town, explains, "In recent years, people here have repeatedly come together to contribute voluntary labour to keep the streets, markets, and water sources clean. Meetings are held to decide the time and place of the next cleaning drive according to need. One bawdi (traditional water source) had become so badly clogged with dirt accumulated over several years that cleaning it seemed almost impossible. But once we shared the responsibility, even this daunting task became manageable."

One particularly encouraging aspect of this movement has been the enthusiastic participation of young people, who have brought energy and commitment to this constructive work. Such community participation in sanitation was strongly emphasized by Mahatma Gandhi but has not received adequate attention in recent decades.

As important as this voluntary effort has been in making Khamnor cleaner, the larger change has been in people's attitudes towards sanitation itself. In many places, people readily acknowledge the importance of sanitation but prefer to leave the responsibility to others. In Khamnor, however, there appears to be a significant shift towards active participation in creating a cleaner town. While this change may not yet involve everyone, it has certainly influenced a substantial section of the community.

Jyotsna, a member of the solid waste management team of the voluntary organization Seva Mandir, says, "About four years ago, together with community members, we began coordinated efforts to improve sanitation here. A Vikas Samiti (Development Committee) was formed, bringing together people from all communities and stakeholders ranging from shopkeepers to sanitation workers. Together, we identified the major problem areas and organized voluntary cleaning drives, which received an encouraging response."

Another team member, Shiv Narain, adds, "The earlier contract system for sanitation was not functioning well. Efforts were therefore made to establish a better system with a more effective team, leading to much better results. At the same time, the earnings of sanitation workers were increased."

Rimjhim Pandey, who coordinates these initiatives for Seva Mandir, emphasizes another equally important aspect. "Our efforts are based on the belief that sanitation workers should be able to work with dignity and justice. Better earnings are only one part of this. Equally important is recognizing and respecting the difficult work they perform. That is why we refer to them as Arogya Mitras (friends who protect us from disease). We strive to eliminate discriminatory attitudes and ensure that they receive the respect they deserve for their vital contribution to society."

Seva Mandir's broader effort has therefore been to transform attitudes towards sanitation work itself. This change becomes visible when local residents participate in shramdan (voluntary labour) with pride, willingly picking up brooms during community cleaning drives. Such wider social change is essential if sanitation workers are to be recognized for the dignity and importance of their work.

Bharat, an Arogya Mitra, agrees that people's attitudes towards sanitation workers have improved considerably since Seva Mandir began working in the area. His younger sister, Poonam, who hopes to pursue further studies and become a nurse, strongly endorses his view. At the same time, an elderly resident, Devi, points out that the socio-economic progress of their community could have been much greater. Even today, she says, not everyone believes in equality.

Nevertheless, there is broad agreement that sanitation workers have experienced important gains in income and overall socio-economic conditions during recent years. Unfortunately, these gains have recently come under threat because several Arogya Mitras have not received their payments from the panchayat for periods ranging from three to five months. This problem has affected Khamnor as well as several other panchayats.

Bharat says that if the delay continues, his family will have no option but to borrow money at high interest rates simply to survive. Besides causing severe hardship to sanitation workers, such delays also threaten the important progress that has been made in improving sanitation.

It is therefore essential that the issues responsible for the payment delays be resolved without further delay. During my visit, I found a senior member of Seva Mandir collecting detailed information on the matter so that it could be taken up with the concerned government authorities.

This also highlights another important role played by Seva Mandir—as a bridge between government agencies and local communities. Such a role helps ensure that emerging problems are addressed promptly while enabling better implementation of government schemes. While many sanitation improvements have resulted from voluntary labour, others have been achieved through work carried out earlier under MGNREGA.

The combined impact of these various initiatives has been significant. Garbage accumulation at several locations has been eliminated. Public awareness campaigns, including those discouraging the use of polythene, have reduced waste generation. Greater segregation of dry waste has increased opportunities for resource recovery and recycling.

As community participation continues to grow, there is increasing hope that these gains will prove sustainable. Moreover, similar efforts are now spreading to neighbouring villages, where they have also achieved encouraging results.

These initiatives form part of Seva Mandir's wider solid waste management programme, which has produced promising outcomes in several locations. In places such as Delwara and Kelwara, situated near important heritage sites, cleaner surroundings have enhanced both the local environment and the visitor experience. In Kelwara, the programme has advanced to segregating dry waste into 13 categories, significantly improving recycling while generating income that can be reinvested in sanitation services or used to support Arogya Mitras.

While changing social attitudes towards sanitation has been central to these initiatives, attention to seemingly small details has also yielded impressive results. Providing sanitation workers with masks, gloves, shoes, and jackets, along with organizing regular health check-ups, has conveyed a powerful message that society values and cares for them. Even changing the timing of the garbage collection van has ensured that much more waste is collected instead of being left behind. Exposure visits to communities with successful solid waste management systems have likewise broadened local understanding and inspired new possibilities.

Together, these efforts demonstrate that lasting improvements in sanitation require not only better systems and infrastructure but also community participation, social respect for sanitation workers, and sustained institutional support.

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The writer is Honorary Convener of the Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children and Planet in Peril. His website is bharatdogra.in, and his YouTube channel is Bharat Dogra Save Earth Campaign