RNS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - BANGALORE

Autonomous Institution Affiliated to VTU, Belagavi

Department of MBA

SOCIETAL PROJECT REPORT ON

“A STUDY ON PROBLEM FACED BY SANITATION STRUGGLES IN

URBAN AREAS”

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

For the academic year 2025-2026
Submitted by:

MANOJ K GOWDA
(1RN24BA065)

Under the guidance of

MS. ARPITHA
Assistant Professor
Dept of MBA

RNS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

RNS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

CHANNASANDRA, BANGALORE – 560098

June 2025
 .

Department of MBA & Research Centre (NBA Accredited till 2028)

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Manoj k Gowda bearing USN 1RN24BA065 is a bonafide student of II
semester of 2024-26 batch MBA at RNS Institute of Technology. This Societal Project Report
titled “A study on problem faced by sanitation struggles in urban areas” is prepared under the
guidance of Mr/Ms/Dr/Prof Arpitha in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of
the degree of Master of Business Administration of Visvesvaraya Technological University,
Belagavi.

Ms. ARPITHA Dr. GVM Sharma

Internal Guide HOD, MBA Dept

Dr.U Bhojanna Dr. Ramesh Babu

Dean, MBA Dept Principal

Project Viva
Name of the examiner Signature with date

1.

2.
 DECLARATION

I, Manoj k Gowda , hereby declare that the Societal Project report entitled a study on problem faced by sanitation
struggles in urban areas. prepared by me under the guidance of Arpitha , faculty of M.B.A Department, RNS
Institute of Technology

I also declare that this Project work is towards the partial fulfilment of the University Regulations for the award
of degree of Master of Business Administration by Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belgaum.

I further declare that this Project is based on the original study undertaken by me and has not been submitted
for the award of any degree/diploma from any other University / Institution

Name Manoj k Gowda

USN 1RN24BA065
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my sincere thanks to Dr. M K Venkatesha, D i r e c t o r , RNSIT, for his kind words of
motivation.

I express my gratitude to Dr. Ramesh Babu H S, Principal, RNSIT, for his support and motivation.

I also express my sincere thanks to Dr. U Bhojanna, Dean, MBA Department and Research Centre for being
the backbone of support throughout the project.
I also express my sincere thanks to Dr. GVM Sharma, Head of Department, MBA Department and Research
Centre for the unwavering support throughout the project.

It is my foremost duty to express my wholehearted thanks to my guide--, [Link] for the valuable
guidance, support and motivation during the course of this project work. Her inspiration at every stage of my
work has helped me immensely in completion of this project work and preparation of this report.

Place: NAME Manoj k Gowda

Date : USN 1RN24BA065
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SL NO PARTICULARS

1
INTRODUCTION

2
NEED FOR THE STUDY

3
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

4
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

6
SCOPE OF THE STUDY

7
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

9 POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF THE STUDY

10 CONCLUSION

11 REFERENCE

1
INTRODUCTION :
Urban sanitation is a form of sanitation which focuses on maintaining sanitary conditions in
urban environments. Many people think specifically of the collection, treatment, and disposal
of human waste when they hear the words “urban sanitation,” but sanitation in urban
environments is a much more complex system. Sanitation is an especially pressing issue in
slums, where crowded conditions and poor sanitation contribute to frequent outbreaks of disease
which threaten the inhabitants of slums in addition to exposing other city residents to health
risks.

Historically, urban communities gave little thought to sanitation, which turned into a major
problem in some areas. The edges of many urban streets were piled with garbage which could
include dead animals along with untreated human waste. Walking in urban streets was an
exercise in avoidance, as people freely threw garbage and human waste out into the street
without a care for those passing by, and disease was rampant as a result of waste materials on
the streets and in urban waterways. A growing understanding of hygiene combined with social
pressure from people tired of living in filth eventually led to the development or urban
sanitation .
NEED FOR THE STUDY:
The study of sanitation struggles impacts:

• Public health impact: Inadequate sanitation in urban areas can have severe public health
consequences. Poor sanitation practices contribute to the spread of diseases such as
diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. Understanding the specific challenges and
their impact on public health is essential for designing effective interventions to prevent
and control disease outbreaks.

• Environmental implications: Sanitation struggles often result in improper waste disposal,

leading to environmental pollution. Unmanaged waste can contaminate water sources,
degrade soil quality, and contribute to air pollution. Studying the environmental
implications of sanitation challenges helps in developing sustainable waste management
systems and minimising the ecological footprint of urban areas.

• Social equity and urban poverty: Sanitation struggles are often more pronounced in low-
income neighbourhoods and informal settlements. These areas lack access to basic
sanitation facilities, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and marginalisation.

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By studying sanitation struggles in urban areas, we can gain valuable knowledge and insights to
address the challenges, improve public health, promote sustainable urban development and
enhance the quality of life for urban residents.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The urban areas around the world are facing significant challenges in maintaining
adequate sanitation systems. Rapid urbanisation, population growth, and inadequate
infrastructure have led to a multitude of sanitation struggles, posing serious health and
environmental risks. This problem statement aims to highlight the key issues faced by
urban areas regarding sanitation and the urgent need for effective solutions.

• Inadequate Sanitation Facilities: Many urban areas lack access to basic

sanitation facilities such as toilets, clean water supply, and proper sewage systems.
The absence of these facilities forces residents to resort to open defecation or use
substandard and unhygienic options, leading to the spread of diseases and
contamination of water sources.

• Poor Waste Management: The rapid generation of waste in urban areas often
overwhelms the existing waste management infrastructure. Inadequate collection
systems, improper disposal methods, and limited recycling facilities contribute to
the accumulation of waste in streets, open spaces, and water bodies.

Addressing these sanitation struggles in urban areas requires a comprehensive approach

encompassing policy interventions, investments in infrastructure development,
community engagement, and behavioural change campaigns.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

This review depicted the real picture of the urban poor and their vulnerability due
to their risky living conditions, lack of state identity, and ambiguity about their
living standards. In LMICs, despite the additional vulnerability posed by the
pandemic, they fought the situation diligently with the limited WASH resources
available. The urban poor need a support system to enhance their resilience
capacity. All stakeholders, public and private, are therefore required to adopt a
collaborative approach to manage such an unprecedented crisis. This review also
revealed a requirement for sustained activation of gender-responsive strategies
regarding WASH.

3
Women can legitimately be viewed as a preliminary step for reform efforts to
comprehend local established practices because they help lower the health
concerns for their households through their contextual knowledge and unpaid
labor. Initiatives should strike a delicate balance between recognising and
enhancing women’s understanding, as well as involvement in influencing hygiene
behaviours, while minimising the gender discriminatory burden associated with
carrying out these activities. Furthermore, collaboration with community leaders
to develop peer education programs is necessary to improve gender-related
consideration in WASH behaviour and practices, particularly during emergencies
in slum settings.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:

1. Promoting proper functioning of network-based sewerage systems and ensuring

connections of households to them wherever possible.

2. Promoting recycle and reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable applications wherever
possible will be encouraged.

3. The efficacy of urban planning is the most important aspect In limiting unrestrained
informality communities.

4. The major goal is to plan integrated and sustainable human settlement that can withstand
increased environmental, social, and economic problems while improving rural community
quality of life.

4
SCOPE OF THE STUDY :

The study helps us to understand about environmental pollution and its control. It helps us to
know about the causes and consequences due to natural and man- induced disaster. The study
helps us to know the problem of overpopulation, health hygiene, etc.

The scope of occupational health safety and hygiene includes prevention and control of hazards,
curative and rehabilitative programs. To determine whether the work environment and working
conditions of workers are harmful to their health and well-being and prevent such conditions
from occurring.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY :
This research brings the lack of access to appropriate sanitation facilities together with the users’
needs and views. The main objective of the study will be to get a better understanding of the
factors that influence the acceptability of shared sanitation facilities. This understanding shall
lead to the production of guidance notes supporting urban planners during the assessment and
the monitoring of user acceptability of shared sanitation facilities. The research is structured
around five main objectives focusing on the different relationships that exist between the
implementers, the targeted population and the built facilities.

It aims to:

• Understand the motives of agencies and individuals in implementing (providing) shared

sanitation projects.

• Determine the usage patterns of sanitation facilities by different user groups.

• Assess the factors of acceptability expressed and defined by the population, recognising
the views of different user groups.

Limitation of the study :

The high population density, the lack of financial and institutional arrangements and often the
geographical location of slum areas weakens the potential for improving waste management.
Amongst these wastes, human wastes remain the most common and the most hazardous
considering ease of potential contact (UN-HABITAT 2003). Sanitation, “the safe management
of human excreta both on-plot and off-plot” (Pickford 1995), has therefore high impact on health

5
particularly towards urban poor (Satterthwaite 2008). The health of the population, but also the
local economy and the civic pride (Pearson & McPhedran 2008) are closely linked to the
environmental conditions of the town in general and to the management of appropriate sanitation
systems in particular. Land tenure, space to build, and low incomes constitute some of the main
barriers towards access to private sanitation. In this context, the development of shared facilities
may provide one solution to improve human waste management in low income settlements
(Wegelin-Schuringa & Kodo 1997, Burra et al 2003, Colin & Nijssen 2007). Shared sanitation
is a toilet shared by two or more households (Pickford 1995, WHO & UNICEF 2010). This
includes toilets shared with neighbouring households, community blocks, and public toilets.

Challenge’s / outcomes of the study:

Given the institutional challenges low-cost sanitation systems pose, it should not be surprising
that sanitation provision is lagging behind water provision and other developmental targets.
Hopefully, recognising safe and clean sanitation as a human right) will help to overcome these
challenges. As noted at the start of this article however, there are divergent views on how human
rights should be pursued, and reasons to believe that the more legalistic strategies are ill-suited
to addressing urban sanitation deficiencies in low-income areas.

Within the international water and sanitation sector, there has been a tendency to interpret the
rights to water and sanitation through legal lenses, and to argue, for example, that “a rights-
based approach to water and sanitation offers international legal standards by which to assess
obligations, shifting the consideration of rights from moral responsibility to legal
accountability” .

Conclusions :
As of my last update in September 2021, sanitation struggles in urban areas were a significant
and persistent issue faced by many cities worldwide. While improvements have been made in
some regions, challenges continue to arise due to various factors. Here are some key conclusions
on sanitation struggles in urban areas:

1. Overpopulation and Urbanisation:

2. Lack of Proper Infrastructure:
3. Informal Settlements and Slums:
4. Water Contamination:
5. Public Health Concerns:

6
6. Behavioural Challenges:
7. Government Policies and Governance:
8. Climate Change Impact:
In conclusion, sanitation struggles in urban areas remain a complex and multifaceted problem
that requires a comprehensive approach involving investment in infrastructure, public awareness
campaigns, policy reforms, and international cooperation. Addressing these challenges is crucial
to ensuring the well-being and health of urban populations and creating sustainable and liveable
cities for the future. Please note that the situation may have evolved since my last update, and
it's essential to consult more recent sources for the latest developments on this topic.

REFERENCE :
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