Abstract
On the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi- who believed in Cleanliness is next to Godliness- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, a pan-India mission also known as Clean Indian Mission. Aimed at eradicating open defecation across India by October 2, 2019, the Mission identified open defecation as a national political priority. In the past five years, a lot has changed in the sanitary state of India, a country where sanitation and everything and everyone linked to sanitation is associated as dirty. Of course, there are several leaks in this change.Today, open defecation has become a bigger challenge for the world rattled by SARS-CoV-2. Reports from different parts of the world- not just India or another country of Global South are indicating higher impacts of the Coronavirus disease or COVID19 to city spaces and citizens who lack access to water to cook or bathe let alone wash hands regularly, and/or who do not have proper sanitation facilities. Unfortunately, this population at higher risk of COVID19 is often found in urban informal settlements, where overcrowding makes it near impossible- and a privilege- to follow World Health Organisation’s recommendation of social distancing and self-isolation. India since Independence has led varied actions to improve the sanitary state of urban informal settlements. Billions of public funds have gone down the drain. The human right to adequate sanitation is still a luxury for millions across the country. WHY? The think piece will answer this WHY with sanitary tales of urban India’s deprived. It will discuss the impact potential of health risk zonation, an innovative idea that can assist urban governance, emergency preparedness and response and reimagine urbanism- in an ecosystem of sustainable businesses.
