In a rapidly evolving world where technology touches every aspect of our lives, India stands at the forefront of a digital revolution that promises transformative changes across various sectors. Amidst this technological wave, an area often overlooked yet profoundly significant is sanitation. As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Sanitation is more important than independence.” This statement resonates deeply with the current mission to improve toilet cleanliness through innovative technological solutions.
India is embracing technology to tackle the age-old challenges of sanitation and hygiene. The government’s commitment, along with the efforts of private entities, is paving the way for a cleaner, healthier future. This journey is not merely about installing modern toilets; it’s about reimagining how we approach public health, dignity, and quality of life through the lens of technological advancement.
The integration of technology in sanitation holds immense potential. It promises not only to address immediate concerns of cleanliness and maintenance but also to foster a culture of hygiene that can transform communities.
Technological Initiatives for Toilet Cleanliness
One of the flagship initiatives in this domain is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which has been instrumental in promoting the use of technology to monitor toilet cleanliness. The mission’s success is partly due to the integration of tech-based monitoring systems that ensure the maintenance and usage of toilets, especially in rural areas.
A prime example of this technological integration is the eToilet, India’s first electronic public toilet. Developed by Eram Scientific, these stainless steel toilets are modular, portable, and automated, designed to operate on city streets without a sewer line. The eToilet incorporates several tech features like automatic floor cleaning and water conservation. These toilets are solar-powered and equipped with sensors for water and electricity conservation.
The eToilet system offers a full cycle approach to sustainable sanitation by integrating electronics, mechanical systems, and web-mobile technologies to control entry, usage, cleaning, exit, and remote monitoring capabilities. Users insert a coin to open the door, triggering the light and audio commands. The toilets flush automatically, using minimal water based on usage duration, and can be programmed to clean the platform after a set number of uses.
Another significant advancement is the use of IoT-based sanitation monitoring systems in schools. These systems employ sensors to track the cleanliness and usage of toilets, ensuring timely maintenance and repairs. This data-driven approach has shown a positive impact on the attendance and health of school children, as well-maintained facilities encourage regular use and reduce health-related absenteeism.
Mobile applications have also been developed to allow citizens to report unclean toilets directly to the authorities. Apps like Swachhata-MoHUA enable users to take pictures of dirty toilets and send complaints, which are then addressed by the urban local bodies. This initiative fosters a sense of civic responsibility among citizens and improves accountability in maintaining public sanitation facilities.
An exemplary initiative that successfully combines technology and social interventions for toilet inclusivity is the Toilets 2.0 campaign launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on World Toilet Day 2022. This campaign aims to transform public and community toilets in urban India through collective action involving citizens and Urban Local Bodies. The campaign encompasses five thematic areas: People for Toilets, Partners for Toilets, Design Toilets, Technology for Toilets, and Data for Toilets.
Space Age Solutions for Earth
Space exploration, often seen as a futuristic endeavor, has surprisingly yielded valuable insights for tackling sanitation challenges on Earth. Spacecraft must be self-sufficient and operate in closed-loop systems, demanding efficient and reliable waste management solutions. These space-age technologies can now be adapted to revolutionize sanitation on our planet.
Water Purification Systems: Advanced water purification systems, such as those used on the International Space Station (ISS), employ membrane filtration, ultraviolet radiation, catalytic oxidation, and electrochemical processes to remove contaminants and pathogens. These technologies can be applied on Earth to provide clean water for communities lacking access to safe drinking water.
Microbial Fuel Cells: NASA has funded projects to explore the use of microbial fuel cells to generate electricity from waste organic material. This technology uses microorganisms to convert waste into electricity through biological processes, offering a sustainable solution for both wastewater treatment and energy generation. India, with its focus on renewable energy, could benefit significantly from such innovations.
Similar ideas are being explored in India as well. In fact, with India’s increasing focus on renewable energy, particularly energy generation from biomass wastes, projects like these can be the perfect fit from an ecological, policy and social value perspective.
Challenges and Future Directions
The integration of technology in monitoring and enhancing toilet cleanliness is not without its challenges. Issues such as the digital divide, lack of awareness, and resistance to change can hinder the adoption of these technologies. Continuous efforts in education and awareness campaigns are essential to overcome these obstacles.
Harpic, India’s leading brand in the lavatory care segment, has championed the cause of toilet hygiene for decades now through innovative and thought-provoking campaigns and outreach programs. Harpic, together with News18, created the Mission Swachhta aur Paani initiative three years ago. This movement upholds the cause of inclusive sanitation, where everyone has access to clean toilets. Mission Swachhta aur Paani advocates for equality across all genders, abilities, castes, and classes, and strongly believes that clean toilets are a shared responsibility.
Moreover, through Mission Swachhta aur Paani, Harpic is creating a platform for the right stakeholders to come together to ideate and explore creative solutions to current sanitation problems. These stakeholders range from elected officials to grassroots organizations, academics to social workers, innovators, sanitation workers, and affected communities.
These conversations are only the beginning, and there is much work yet to be done and many innovations yet to come. Join us here in this important transformation as we make our way to becoming a Swasth and Swachh Bharat.