SANITATION

Sanitation, meaning the safe disposal of raw sewage, is an extremely important issue in the city of Chennai. Although Chennai does better than many cities in India, the city still fails to treat much of the city’s sewage, or to provide all of its residents with access to sanitation. Inadequate sewage treatment reflects in the conditions of the city’s canals and waterways, which are notorious for their smell. Lack of adequate access to sanitation for the poor results in continued open defecation in the city, and lower quality of health. Significant investments in water and sanitation have been made under the JNNURM in cities all over India, including Chennai, but it is not clear that these investments have made significant improvements in access to sanitation. The issue needs to be urgently addressed, but there is little citizen action and political will to take it forward. Click through the pages on the left to see our maps and research on sanitation, especially on public toilets.