Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) launched by Government of India has been the cornerstone of a decentralized, incentive based approach to achieve rural sanitation objectives. The scheme has developed strategic components to ensure coverage of sanitation facilities through financial and programmatic support for households, and for institutional and community sanitation. Construction of toilets needs to be complemented with mechanisms of waste handling to ensure a safe and hygienic environment in the rural areas. Safe disposal of solid and liquid waste is a major step on the sanitation ladder where communities have begun to successfully tackle. Government at present has specific provision for solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) as an important component under TSC. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been continuously updating technical notes on rural sanitation to reinforce the quality of interventions. The Hand Book on scaling up solid and liquid waste management in rural areas gives a very useful insight on the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of SLWM units in a sustainable way. The effort has been to make a comprehensive document that is user friendly for planning and executing agencies.
