FICCI in association with DRDO has been working upon the SWACHCH BHARAT ABHIYAN to provide the nation with clean and affordable Toilets. Under this, FICCI and DRDO have taken further the initiatives and projects on BIO-DIGESTER ECO-FRIENDLY SANITATION developed by DRDO. FICCI has been issuing the licenses of Bio-Digester to the Industry and also implementing projects on Bio-Digester. The Indian Railways, too, have adopted Bio-Digester technology based toilets and have announced in the past consecutive budgets that the entire Railways and coaches shall be retrofitted with the Bio-digester toilets.
India where almost 60% of women do not have access to proper sanitation in India; DRDO, together with FICCI have undertaken an initiative to rehabilitate the rural and tribal population of the country with its indigenously developed ‘Bio-digester’ sanitation technology. The technology developed by DRDO is a non-polluting and effective method that degrades and converts the human waste into usable water and gasses in an eco-friendly manner. The generated gas can be utilized for energy/ cooking and water for irrigation purposes. Bio-Digester has been designed in a manner that it can be customized to suit the requirements of the region and demography; also it does not require much of maintenance and decomposes the human waste completely without leaving any pathogens.
Specific Highlights of the Railway Budget 2015: In light of Clean Toilets
Swachh Rail the driving force behind this Government's flagship programme - Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Hence, the Indian Railways will work on-Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat. Cleanliness is a major area of dissatisfaction. Ensuring higher standards of cleanliness is of utmost priority for the government of India.
The condition of toilet facilities in stations and trains needs major improvement. We will build new toilets covering 650 additional stations compared to 120 stations last year. Bio-toilets are being fitted in coaches. So far the Railways have replaced the existing toilets with 17,388 bio toilets.
This year the Railways intend to replace another 17,000 toilets. Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) has also been tasked with making available within a period of six months a design for vacuum toilets.