Mr. Dyanand Panse describes ECOSAN projects and their impact.

We have a new innovative and alternative sanitation system, which is not referred to any particular technology. This is about closing the natural loop - like whatever we get from the nature we have to give it back to the nature. To demonstrate this we have different kinds of projects.

First, we talk about concept promotion, then we start talking about implementation. We have different modules for different training courses. So first is awareness raising, that can be via workshops at grassroots level, to the CBOs, NGOs. These courses are targeted at the professionals, representatives from the NGOs, CBOs and utilities like the municipals councils or corporations.

Then we have the Government of India’s ambitious program of total sanitation i.e. sanitation to all, initiated in 2002. Government of India has specific department (Total sanitation official campaign). Their target is to provide total sanitation to all by 2012. To understand the program we had to come with some pilot and demonstrations projects. We are doing this in school, community and slums level.

In Gujarat, an organization called Udaan took up the awareness raising projects. They translated whatever material we provided like books, posters to them into Gujarati language. Then another group of NGOs from TamilNadu, they are around 22 NGOs. They have now started their own activities by promoting concept at individual household level. In Maharashtra, very near to Mumbai is a town called Badlapur where we had first demonstrated the project. Now it is replicated not only in Badlapur but also in Thane.

Some farmers near Nashik are using toilets where we have separated urine which goes to the grape, sugarcane and tomato farms. We have seen the transformation in terms of the yield. One can easily make out that one corner is definitely receiving some different nutrition.