Where India Goes - Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development and the Costs of Caste (Diane Coffey and Dean Spears, 2017)

(238 pages)

Authors study and write about open defecation in rural India; most of the field work by the authors was done in the north; of course plenty of environmental issues remain in India's urban areas (including sanitation issues), but the authors state that open defecation has mostly ceased in the cities.

The continuation of open defecation in rural India was often thought to be an issue of poverty - lack of resources - but the puzzle has been that income has risen - to levels higher than other countries that don't have open defecation issues.

As the most practical solution, authors are generally talking about a latrine without running water in these areas.  Quite a few latrines being built; a major government initiative was launched with Modi support in 2014 with the goal of ending the problem in five years.  Getting folks to use the latrines has been a knottier problem.  Authors explain the harm to children (illnesses, stunted growth and development) and others, and the consequences for the economy.

A major value of the book is its detailed look at just how complicated it can be to effect change as to something that inarguably seems good for everyone.  The authors are respectful of traditions that are deeply rooted and typically have social/historical reasons that make some sense (even if caste practices now are generally indefensible and sanitation issues clear).

A number of factors come into play but this problem seems almost uniquely tied to caste - perhaps the most notorious task assigned to Dalits was cleaning up "night soil" - so in early 21st century, as Dalits work to escape untouchability - if there is a latrine, who will clean it?  Anyone upper caste obviously will not (too much status-risk); lower caste members also will not given their aspirations not to be perceived as such.  Authors discuss high price for bringing a professional cleaning service to rural areas - out of reach for most latrine-owners.

Reluctance to use a latrine in part because rural residents believe the pit-cleaning issue will be upon the owner - soon and repeatedly - without an acceptable solution.  Related problem - for those willing to build a latrine - tend to overbuild the pit - way larger than international norms or sanitation requirements would indicate - in the belief that the cleaning problem can be deferred for indefinite future (also signals prosperity).  But this makes the latrine far more expensive - out of reach for folks that would put these funds toward basic housing.  Building the recommended (affordable) pit would make the owner appear un-prosperous.

Government wants to report success, so lots of statistics about the number of latrines being built.  Not so interested in gathering data about whether latrines are actually being used; or whether the latrines are even constructed properly (this a problem - local diversion of funds etc.) 

Policy suggestions ensue.  All this is interesting, useful.