Fifty years ago | Collection of night soil on Singapore model

New Delhi, August 18: The Centre has advised the State Governments to launch a pilot project in selected cities for night soil service on the model of Singapore.

This follows the recommendation of the Committee set up by the Works and Housing Ministry to examine the report of Sivaraman Committee on urban wastes.

Only 200 out of the 3,000 urban centres in the country are now sewered. Even of these, most centres have only partial sewerage. Thus, large pockets of urban population are outside the coverage of sewer system. Since sewerage has not been able to keep pace with the rapid expansion of cities, the Sivaraman Committee has come to the conclusion that night-soil collection will continue for quite sometime. The issue therefore, is how to undertake night soil collection in a way that will contribute to the cleanliness of the city.

The enquiry by the Committee has shown that in numerous places the refuse and night soil are dumped together — a practice which is considered most insanitary.