Niti Central, 01 August 2014
Under British rule, the maintenance of reservoirs and rainwater harvesting structures was perceived as an unnecessary expense and discontinued. Gradually, water tanks fell into disuse. As people migrated to cities in search of education and jobs, indigenous knowledge of water management and sanitation disappeared completely.
The filthy image of India littered with faeces has become well-established in global opinion. Recent reports in The New York Times and The Economist have raised further concern with the connection between poor sanitation and malnutrition in India. Unfortunately, an impression is also being conveyed that ancient Hindu scriptures are responsible for the problem of open defecation in India today. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Read more....