Volume II - Issue 05
“We live in a world of
extraordinary inequali-
ties in opportunity, both
within and across coun-
tries. Even the basic
opportunity for life itself
is disparately distrib-
uted: whereas less than
half of 1 per cent of
children born in Swe-
den die before their
first birthday, nearly 15
per cent of all children
born in Mozambique
fail to reach that mile-
stone. Within El Salva-
dor, the infant mortality
rate is 2 per cent for
children of educated
mothers but 10 per
cent for those whose
mothers have no
schooling. These chil-
dren cannot be blamed
for the circumstances
into which they were
born, yet their lives -
and their ability to
contribute to the devel-
opment of their nations
- are powerfully shaped
by them.”
- Paul D. Wolfowitz
President, World Bank
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
UN-HABITAT Participates in
the WWF-IV
Road Map for Implementa-
tion of the WDM Strategies
M.P. Municipal Corporators
visit to Tamil Nadu and
Karnataka
March 2006
Gender Mainstreaming Strategy Adopted
Mahila Chetna Manch organized
a Stakeholders’ Consultation on
7th March 2006 to discuss the
proposed Gender Mainstreaming
Strategy. MCM presented the
draft strategy for Gender Main-
streaming, based on the Rapid
Gender Assessment of the four
project cities. The proposed Gen-
der Mainstreaming Strategy
seeks to change the often noted
invisibility of gender and gender
needs especially in technical,
financial and managerial matters
in policies and programmes, so
that gender concerns are not
limited to small women’s projects
and there is gender sensitiveness
at all levels. Mrs. Nirmala Buch,
Chairperson, Mahila Chetna
Manch emphasised that the
frame work of Gender Main-
streaming is “not only for gender
equity and justice but also for
efficiency and sustainability of
programmes. It requires incorpo-
rating gender concerns, promot-
ing women inclusive institutions,
transforming cultural structures of
power, ending domestic and
public violence and recognizing
women’s work. This will mean
incorporating gender, emphasis
on women’s and men’s role and
advocacy, training and institu-
tional capacity strengthening in
2
WAC Programme”. The vision of
the proposed strategy is faster,
3 community sanitation
equitable, just and sustainable
achievement of MDGs through
3 pro-poor governance, removing
in-equitabilities and in-equities
and increasing women’s access
and control over services, re-
sources and opportunities for
participation and partnership.
The proposed GMS provides for
a leadership role of the state
government and the Project Direc-
torate, Urban Water Supply &
Environmental Improvement Pro-
ject for pro-poor water and sani-
tation governance. It recom-
mends several actions which
include: (1) Inclusion of gender
issues in programme framework,
reviews, workshops, monitoring,
evaluation; gender related guide-
lines and gender analysis; (2)
Infrastructure, processes, prac-
tices of WSS service providers
should address identified gaps to
meet women’s needs; (3) Ena-
bling participation in decision
making fora-legal, policy meas-
ures, women’s group organisa-
tion, capacity building, entrust
responsibility; (4) Advocacy,
awareness, sensitization of policy
makers, implementers on gender
issues; (5) Leadership role of
UADD & Project Directorate in
implementation of the GMS; (6)
Establishment of a Nodal Gender
Unit in the Project Directorate
and Gender Focal Point in each
partner Municipal Corporations;
(7) Inclusion of a gender expert
in project team; (8)
Local women groups
in command of local
water distribution and
facilities particularly in
slums; (9) Time bound
reduction of number
of women and men,
girls and boys without
access to adequate water and
sanitation; (10) Full coverage for
full time water supply and sepa-
rate toilets for boys and girls;
(11) Open defecation free cities
by 2009; (12) Regular public
hearings in each city wards; (13)
Inclusive and Sensitive Municipal
Corporations – in procedures,
rules of participation norms, of
water and sanitation services;
(14) A committee in Municipal
Corporation to monitor women’s
grievances; (15) Promotion of
women’s SHG, training, hand
over management of public sani-
tary complexes to them; and (16)
Promotion of gender responsive
budgeting in Municipal Corpora-
tions. The proposed GMS was
discussed and widely accepted
by the stakeholders. The Mayors
of the project cities and Project
Director expressed their commit-
ment to implement the strategy in
WAC programme. The strategy
document was discussed in the
city-wise break away groups,
which recommended for the
adoption of the strategy docu-
ment. The Project Director
UWSEIP has given his consent
to the recommendations and
declared the GMS as adopted.
 PAGE - 2
UN-HABITAT Participates in the WWF-IV
United Nations Human Settle-
m e n t s P r og r a m m e ( U N -
HABITAT), Nairobi in partner-
ship with Maghreb-Mashreq
Alliance for Water (ALMAE),
Morocco organised a special
event at the World Water Fo-
rum-IV in Mexico on 19th
March 2006. The event titled
“Making a Difference in Slums
and Low Income Settlements:
Towards Achieving MDGs in
Water and Sanitation” high-
lighted community level experi-
ences that demonstrated practi-
cal ways to achieve the UN Millennium
Development Goals in relation to Water
and Sanitation, linked to national and
local government policies. The session
drew on the considerable body of interna-
tional experiences in the water and sanita-
tion sector identified in slums and low-
income settlements. The session was
chaired by Mr. Enrique Ortiz, Housing
International Coalition and Prof. Albert
Wright gave an overview.
Several local actions were presented
which, inter alia, included case studies
from Africa including one from Kibera in
Kenya and another from Casablanca,
Morocco. The Asian experience included a
Slum Environmental Sanitation Initiative in
Madhya Pradesh, India and another case
study from Latin America. Kibera is the
largest slum in east and southern Africa
where the slum upgrading programme
aims at improving the livelihoods of people
living and working in slums and other
informal settlements in urban areas of
Kenya. It aims at reduction of poverty and
achievement of water and sanitation re-
lated MDGs. The Slum Environmental Sani-
tation Initiative in India has started with a
citywide poverty pocket situational analysis
for mapping the poverty and environ-
mental infrastructural deficiencies for priori-
tizing interventions. The four local actions
presented different approaches for ad-
dressing the common goal of meeting the
MDGs and making a difference in slum
and low-income settlements. The Pro-
gramme Manager, UN-HABITAT Nairobi
coordinated this session on 19th March
2006 which was also addressed by Dr.
Baoxing Qiu, Vice Minister of the Minister
of Construction, Govt. of PR China. Other
local actions which were presented during
this special session included the case study
of Casablanca and the Slum Environmental
Sanitation Initiative in Asia: India in
Madhya Pradesh by Mr. Malay
Shrivastava. The Panelists included Mr.
Ratnakar Gaikwad of India, Mr. Malik
Gaye of Senegal and Mrs. Houria Tazi
Sadeq of ALMAE. The 4th World Water
Forum was inaugurated by the President of
Mexico, which was also addressed by
many other dignitaries. In addition Water,
Sanitation and Infrastructure Branch
(WSIB), UN-HABITAT also put up an Exhi-
bition with a special focus on Mekong
Region Water and Sanitation Initiative
(MEK-WATSAN) and Lake Victoria Water
and Sanitation Initiative (LVWATSAN)
which reflected various activities in pro-
gress and being implemented in the two
regions by WSIB.
A special gender session on “Safe, acces-
sible, private and nearby: making services
work for women – the key to meeting the
MDG water and sanitation target” was
chaired by the Executive Director, UN-
HABITAT in which several local actions
were presented including the one on Sani-
tation to Slum Dwellers from Pune, India.
During the WWF-4 Kyoto World Water
Grand Prize competition was also organ-
ized in which 30 local actions were short-
listed for presentation. These, inter alia,
included a case of rainwater harvesting in
Ethiopia, an other case of Kenya Sand
Dams, a Drinking Water Supply Project in
Andhra Pradesh (India), household water
treatment technology transfer by CAWST
and dissemination of the arsenic filter in
rural Nepal.
March 2006
Hidden Cost of Intermittent
Water Supply
Although often regarded as an unafford-
able luxury, well-managed continuous
(24/7) water supply turns out to be far
cheaper than intermittent (1-4 hours per
day) supply. Intermittent supply does not
reduce costs but simply transfers them from
the water utility to the private household
and to those least able to afford them.
While the cost per cubic metre may ap-
pear low, once all the coping costs
(private storage tanks, pumps and treat-
ment systems) are added in, the cost of
intermittent supply is far higher than for a
well managed 24/7 system. For example,
a typical middle class family pays more in
pumping costs alone than in water tariffs.
Furthermore, while high-income people
cope by operating pumps and storage
tanks, the poor suffer inconvenience, ill-
ness, lost time and lost wages.
Furthermore, intermittent supply systems
are constantly subject to intrusion of con-
taminated water during periods of low
pressure and actually suck in raw sewage
during periods of negative pressure, which
is all too common in India’s water systems
where many households employ illegal
suction pumps that seek to draw water
directly from the water mains.
In addition, the hidden cost to the city may
also be greater. Water mains need to be
larger in order to deliver the same quantity
of water within shorter time and pipes and
joints have about half the useful life of
continuous systems as they are subject to
frequent turning off and on. Customers
availing of the poor quality intermittent
service are also reluctant to pay and col-
lection rates are significantly lower than
under continuous supply.
Finally, faced with higher costs and lower
revenues, water boards are chronically
short of funds and never have enough to
provide adequate operation and mainte-
nance services. As a result, leakage rates
are exceedingly high and the percentage
of non-revenue water may reach 30 to 50
per cent. As a consequence of poor ser-
vice, poor revenue collection and poor
maintenance, the actual water required to
operate an intermittent supply system is
typically greater than required for well-
maintained 24/7 system.
- India Infrastructure Report 2006
VOLUME II - ISSUE 05
Road Map for Implementation of the WDM Strategies
UN-HABITAT organised a two day stakeholder workshops on Wa-
ter Demand Management in each of the four project cities of Bho-
pal, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur. The objective of these work-
shops was to build capacities of the municipal staff from each of the
cities on urban water demand management and also seek inputs
and suggestions from the participants on the WDM strategies and
implementation plan developed for the project cities. The program
was to sensitise the stakeholders on the concept and need for Wa-
ter Demand Management, to build capacities of various stake-
holders on the tools and techniques that can be used for implemen-
tation of Water Demand Management and to engage the stake-
holders in a dialogue on the WDM strategy developed for each of
the project cities and devises the road ahead for implementation of
the strategy. The resource persons of the program comprised of
engineers and researchers from WRP and TERI working on various
issues related to water supply and sanitation and comprised of
technical, financial and institutional experts. This program was struc-
tured to provide a holistic overview of Water Demand Management
through a combination of presentations, field visits and interactive
discussions. The program began with an introduction to the issues
facing water sector. This was followed by a session on the key con-
cepts of Water Demand Management and the need for WDM in
the four project cities. The session was followed by a technical ses-
sion on various tools and techniques for implementation of a WDM
Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporators visit Community Managed
Programmes in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
WaterAid India organised an exposure visit for fifty one Corpora-
tors and Municipal staff of the 4 project cities to some of the suc-
cessful urban projects in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The objective
of the study visit was to learn and interact with the communities in
these states. Gramalaya, an old NGO partner of WaterAid India in
Tiruchirapalli which has implemented successful urban and rural
water and sanitation programmes, led the team to various places
for exposure to best practices. The team visited several projects
briefly described below.
• A project in Bangalore city run by an NGO, Deen Sewa Sangh,
for implementation of community led conversion of underground
smaller diameter drainage line to bigger diameter lines and toilet
construction in the slums.
• Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Plant (DEWATS) in a reha-
bilitated slum in Ullalu Upanagara (suburban locality), Bangalore.
The technology is promoted by Bremen Overseas Research &
Development Association (BORDA), Germany. The plant is de-
signed to treat night soil from the 20 seater community toilet with
the production of gas as well as generate treated water that can
be used for agriculture/gardening. A Women Self-help Group is
looking after the O & M of the Toilet unit.
• Integrated Urban Environment Improvement Project (IUEIP):
Kalyan Nagar is one of the four Bangalore development layouts
where this programme is implemented. Three components of the
programme are Solid Waste Management, Open Space man-
agement and Geographic Information System. The programme
involved door to door collection of segregated house hold (HH)
PAGE - 3
plan. This included practical sessions on Water auditing and bal-
ancing using Aqualibre water balance software, metering, sectori-
sation, GIS and MIS, leak detection and control. Detailed presenta-
tions were also made on the financial and institutional aspects of
the Water Demand Management. Apart from the technical presen-
tations interactive sessions were also organised which basically
included a discussion on the water balance for each of the cities,
SWOT analysis of municipal corporations with specific reference to
institutional challenges for implementation of WDM and a discus-
sion on the financial health of the Municipal Corporations. The
workshops concluded with a session tilted 'Road map for imple-
mentation of the WDM strategies'.
This session was attended by
a large range of stake-
holders including senior staff
from the respective Munici-
pal corporations and Project
Directorate. The measures
suggested by TERI, for WDM
implementation plans were
also discussed. A total of
122 participants attended
the training program in the
four cities.
wastes by trained waste collectors. The wet waste is composted
in the pits in the corner of a civic amenity site and the recycla-
bles are sold. The dry rejects are stored in a dry disposal unit
and are transported to a landfill site by lorries. Service charge
is collected from residents @ Rs.15/HH. This goes towards
meeting salaries and maintenance of system. Presently the com-
post is being sold to residents @ Rs. 5/kg for aerobic compost
and Rs. 8/kg for vermi-compost. Waste Management Commit-
tee, a subset of the Kalyan Nagar Resident Welfare Associa-
tion is managing the programme since 2001. The elected com-
mittee has 10 members out of which 5 are women.
• Karnataka Compost Development Corporation Ltd. (KCDCL): It
is a Government of Karnataka undertaking established in
1975. WHO technology is used here for Solid Waste Man-
agement by Aerobic Wind Row Method. The designed capac-
ity then was for about 20-30 tons of waste per day. KCDCL
developed indigenous technology and employed semiskilled
workers to make the plant economically viable. Marketing of
compost is biggest challenge. It is presently selling it at Rs.
1600/metric ton (Rs.1.6/kg). Vermi-compost is sold @ Rs.
2.75/kg. Now the plant is running in profit for the last 10
years. KCDCL has a campus of 22 acres and handles 350
metric tonne waste per day. Bangalore generates more than
2400 metric tonnes of waste per day.
The exposure has helped enlarging the vision of stakeholders in
understanding options for slum sanitation initiatives and neces-
sity of involving local communities.
 PAGE - 4

Slums in Tiruchirapalli Declared Open Defecation Free

Several slums in Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu have been declared

open defecation free. Community toilets are managed and run by self-help
groups in these slums successfully on pay and use system. Disposal of ex-
creta is through either treatment, septic tank or underground drainage sys-
tem. Another appreciable feature is various models of Child Friendly Toilets
(CFT) in Community Toilet Complexes.
Pay and Use Toilet Systems visited by Municipal Staff & Corporators of M.P.

Namakkal ‘ZERO GARBAGE TOWN’

SHG Managed Community Toilet Complex
Namakkal declared as Dust Bin Free City is a small municipal town of
about 65,000 populations located around 70 km from Tiruchirapalli.
Municipality here has developed best option for the public service de-
livery through successful implementation of Environmental Management
System by promoting public private partnership in Municipal Solid
Waste Management. Town generates 21 MT of solid waste per day
from households and commercial activities. The entire waste is segre-
gated at source manually. Collection and transportation is privatized
by the Municipal Corporation. 8 MT is being subjected to vermi-
composting, 3 MT recyclable is sold and 10 MT inorganic waste is
disposed to landfill sites. Involving all citizens for service delivery is the
key factor in success of the programme. Namakkal MC has worked
and achieved the status as ZERO GARBAGE TOWN (Dust Bin Free
City) by involving all households in door to door collection and segre-
gation of wastes into wet compostable, dry recyclable and household

Tiruchirapalli - Center for Toilet Technology and Training

Center For Toilet Technology And Training, Kolakudipatti Village, Thottiam

Block, Tiruchirapalli was established with support from Water Partners Interna-
tional and displays various models of toilets that can be used as options in Total
Sanitation Campaign programme. The models include individual toilets, school
sanitary blocks, child friendly toilets and Anganwadi toilets. It also has training
facility for representatives and staff of NGOs, Government officials and other
stakeholders. It organises trainings on Masonry skills, SHGs strengthening and
other WATSAN aspects.

Child Friendly Toilets

UN-HABITAT
Water for Asian Cities Programme
EP-16/17, Chandragupta Marg, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021 (India), Tel: +91-11-42225019 / 22
Fax: +91-11-24104961, Web: www.unwac.org
WAC Programme Project Office
E-1/191, Arera Colony, Bhopal - 462016
Madhya Pradesh, India, Tel: +91-755-2460835-36
Fax: +91-755-2460837, Email: Wac.India@unhabitat.org
Editorial Board
Malay Shrivastava, Secretary, UADD, State Govt. of M.P
Hazari Lal, Director, Govt. of India
Gulshan Bamra, Project Director, UWSEIP, Bhopal
Debashish Bhattacharjee, ADB, India Resident Mission
Aniruddhe Mukerjee, CTA, UN-HABITAT, Bhopal
Editor
Kulwant Singh, CTA, UN-HABITAT, New Delhi