Community Census

As part of Project Sammaan, J-PAL is studying how improved community sanitation models impact open defecation rates in urban slums in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. J-PAL is currently conducting large scale surveys in the communities Project Sammaan works in.

As a first step, J-PAL defines the communities using maps. Based on these maps the J-PAL’s survey team conducts a door to door census survey. This census survey provides the basis for a more in-depth baseline study.

Since May 2012, J-PAL has completed data collection activity in 32 communities that fall under Project Sammaan in Cuttack, as well as for 63 communities in Bhubaneswar; more than 20,000  households have been surveyed. Since April 2013, the J-PAL survey team is working in 25 additional communities in Bhubaneswar.

The preliminary findings from the J-PAL door to door survey indicate that close to 40% people living in urban slums in Bhubaneswar do not have access to a personal or shared toilet facility. The survey also points towards high incidents of open defecation in Bhubaneswar slums – close to 30% of all households practice open defecation. Moreover, greater than 90% of personal/shared toilet facilities are pour toilets. Most of these toilets do not have access to running tap water.

The J-PAL Baseline survey will bring forth more details about health and sanitation practices in urban slums of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Leave a Reply