Rural Maharashtra has been declared ODF in March 2018 and the next challenge is to ensure sustainability of ODF status. There are still gaps in access to sanitation facilities and adoption of sanitary behaviour to avoid open defecation and those are to be bridged as fast as possible. Keeping this in mind, SIGMA Foundation with support of UNICEF Maharashtra State Office and the Government of Maharashtra have been assessing the status of ODF and related factors through field survey to decide on ODF sustainability in 12 relatively backward districts of the state. The focus was on knowing the nature of access and usage of the sanitary facilities, both at the households and in the village level institutions and the barriers which existed in achieving a truly ODF community forever.

The analysis shows that 91.8% of the HHs had access to toilets and 87.0% of the HHs had functional toilets. However, 82.9% of the toilets were being used (89.6% for the APL HHs and 77.6% for the BPL HHs). 11.9% of the total surveyed HHs were found to practice open defecation but 15.7% of HHs with a working latrine have at least one member who defecates in the open. 71.8% of those HHs, all members of which practiced open defecation, did not have toilets or their toilets were their toilet was under construction, 15.7% preferred to go for open defecation despite having functional toilet. Further, in case of 12.5% HHs the construction was defective, and the toilet was never used. Regarding type of toilets, 42.7% were single pit types, which puts a huge burden of upgrading those toilets. 37.6% IHHLs were twin pit toilets but 17.6% of those did not have any junction chamber. 14.9% of the IHHLs were septic tank type and 83.7% of those had their effluent getting discharged in the open. In 2.5% HHs there was no access to water and 16.7% of the toilet were unclean.

The level of awareness of the community appeared to be quite poor. Only 17.3% GPs were found to have carried out any IEC activities after the GP was declared ODF. The VWSCs were not active in general, as only 19.5% of the HHs mentioned of their existence/functioning. Further, there has been little community watch through functioning of the Nigarani Samity and carrying out activities like Good Morning Pathak. Only 12.8% of the HHs mentioned of such activities happening in their villages. Knowledge of sanitation was also poor as a result of inadequate/ ineffective IEC/SBCC activities. 34.9% of the HHs having children below 2 years were throwing the child excreta in the open or dumping the same in the garbage.

Management of liquid waste in the surveyed villages was not satisfactory. 23.4% HHs had no drain to carry the liquid waste. Only in 1.6% HHs there were soak pits and in another 9.6% HHs there was pucca drain and the water was found flowing smoothly. In another 54.2% HHs though there was pucca drain but the same was found chocked and liquid waste remained stagnant. Further, grey water was seen to overflow within 9.3% of the HH premises. As far as solid waste is concerned there was system of regular collection by the GPs from 0.5% HHs (in 5 GPs arrangement of garbage collection was there) and in another 1.6% HHs such collection was occasional. 3.6% HHs were found composting their degradable waste and the remaining 94.3% HHs were found to be throwing their garbage in the open or dumping in any place without any treatment.

The survey also covered the status of access to drinking water. Availability of drinking water was adequate throughout the year for 84.2% of the HHs. Use of toilet for the other HHs was affected during the season even drinking water was scarce. 51.7% HHs had water piped into their premises or dwelling and another 22.4% HHs collected water from stand posts. 18.1% HHs collected water from bore hole/tube well while the remaining 7.8% used other sources of water for drinking.