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Karnataka: 50% of rural homes lack toilets
31 Mar
Summary
- Nearly 50% of surveyed rural households lack toilets.
- Public toilets often unusable due to poor maintenance or no water.
- Lack of sanitation disproportionately impacts women and elderly residents.
Despite rural Karnataka being declared "Open Defecation Free" in 2018, a February 2026 survey of 390 Scheduled Caste households in Chikkodi taluk has exposed persistent sanitation challenges. The survey found that approximately 50% of these households do not have a toilet at home, and many villages lack usable public facilities due to issues like absent water connections and poor upkeep.
The lack of accessible sanitation directly contributes to the continuation of open defecation, a practice that significantly impacts women and elderly residents. In many of the 13 villages surveyed, private toilets are absent, and community toilets are either non-existent or non-functional. Water scarcity and irregular supply further complicate toilet usability, even in households with connections.
Women face increased safety and dignity concerns, forced to defecate in open spaces during dawn or dusk. The survey also indicated limited awareness among respondents regarding government sanitation schemes, such as the ₹20,000 subsidy for household toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
