Why is it in the news?
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A government-commissioned survey shows that just over a quarter of rural toilets use this twin-pit system.
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The waste from the remainder of rural toilets could create a new sanitation issue which harmful to health and the environment.
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It would also push a new generation into manual scavenging.
More in the news
Twin-Pit system:
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Under the twin-pit system, two pits are dug with honeycombed walls and earthen floors which allow liquid to percolate into the surrounding soil.
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When one pit is filled and closed off, waste flow is transferred to the second pit, allowing waste in the first pit to be converted into manure after a year or two.
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The twin pit has been promoted by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as well as the World Health Organisation as an in-situ sanitation system.
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This system claims to bypass thorny issues such as caste purity, as owners will be dealing with manure, not excreta.
Data:
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National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey 2018-19, shows that just 26.6% of rural households use the recommended twin-pit system to dispose of excreta from their toilets.
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Septic tanks are the most popular option, with 28% of toilets connected to a septic tank with a soak pit and 6% to a tank without a soak pit.
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Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 64% of toilets with twin pits.
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Uttar Pradesh had made the technology mandatory for anyone who wanted to avail the government’s ₹12,000 subsidy to build toilets.
Source
The Hindu.