IAS Probationers Triggered To Lead Sanitation Countrywide

The Lal Bahadur Shastri Nation Administrative Academy (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, in coordination with the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Government of India has conducted a one day intensive workshop on sanitation on 5^th June 2015 for the probationers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The module was especially designed to provide training to 180 IAS officers in providing leadership in scaling-up sanitation and including hands on experience in ‘triggering’ collective behavioral change for stopping open defecation.  Fifteen villages around Mussoorie in Dehradun and Tehri districts had been selected for practical demonstration of ‘triggering’. Triggering is a live and dynamic tool that initiates a community into self-analysis of their situation and urges them to change for the better. It is important that after ‘triggering’, these villages are followed up appropriately till they become completely free from open defecation (ODF). Another main purpose of triggering was to involve district machinery of Uttarakhand. The workshop also provided a unique opportunity to district officials (i.e. DMs, CDOs, DDOs) to get exposed to or refreshes their skills in behavior change leadership.

On 4^th June 2015 evening session, the representatives of Knowledge Links Pvt. Ltd. and Feedback foundation has given presentations and done briefing about Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach in two separate groups. They shared the status and scenario of sanitation in India amid participants. Later on, triggering experts demonstrated the exercise on LBSNAA campus and formed 14 groups. Thirteen members of SWAJAL project have given the responsibilities to coordinate the triggering exercise in the shortlisted villages of district Tehri and Dehradun.

On 5^th June 2015, all the groups of IAS probation officers visited the short listed villages and took part as observers in actual triggering exercise. They have shown keen interest and also raised questions during triggering sessions. The triggering facilitators used CLTS module & methodology and formed a ‘Nigrani Samittee (Vigilance Committee)’ after exercise to ensure the follow-up. Later, findings have been shared by different groups with the District Project Managers (DPMs) of Swajal project for further follow-up. The whole exercise time was 2 to 3 hours. After coming back from the fields, all groups have given short presentations about their understanding of triggering methodology and CLTS module. 

In the evening session, there were two important lectures delivered by two former District Collectors (DCs).  Ms Aarati Dogara a former District Collector (DC) of Bikaner, Rajashtan shared how she had run “Banko Bikano” (Brave Fighter) total sanitation campaign in her tenure and made Bikaner district open defecation free (ODF). Similarly, Mr. Sachin a former DC of Angul district of Orissa also shared his success story how he succeeded to make an industrialized district free from open defecation (OD). These two lectures were eye opening and full of motivation for IAS probationers including district officials and Swajal team of Uttarakhand. Finally, all the IAS probationers raised hands for integrity to lead sanitation campaign country wide in coming days in their respective appointed districts.

Report: Jayprakash Panwar, IEC Expert