<p class="bodytext">Karnataka’s claim of being Open Defecation Free (ODF), and even a model for other states, sits uneasily with conditions on the ground. A recent survey by ActionAid Karnataka Projects lays bare this contradiction. In Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district, over 50% of Scheduled Caste (SC) households surveyed had no toilets, despite the district being declared ODF more than seven years ago. In several villages, even community toilets are absent. For women forced to defecate in the open, this translates into indignity and risk. This is not merely a failure of infrastructure but a reminder of how aggregated success can conceal entrenched inequities. SCs and STs, already at the margins of social and economic life, appear to have been left behind in the sanitation drive. The persistence of open defecation in these communities reflects not only gaps in implementation but also the state’s inability to address structural disadvantages – cramped housing, irregular water supply, and poor awareness of entitlements.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government’s assertion of 100% ODF status must, therefore, be treated with scepticism. Such claims rest heavily on administrative reporting and self-declaration, often without rigorous, independent verification. When half the households in a vulnerable segment lack toilets, the credibility of these figures is inevitably called into question. The location of this gap is equally telling. Belagavi, the state’s largest district, is not politically marginal. It has long been dominated by influential political families – the Jarkiholis, Kattis, Hebbalkars, Jolles, Kores, and Savadis – whose members have held power across party lines and governments. Such basic deficits in a politically well-represented region underscore the disconnect between political influence and equitable development. It also raises serious questions about the gaps that may exist in more backward districts with far less political visibility. This is unacceptable for a state that boasts of a robust GSDP and high per capita income.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Addressing this requires more than reiterating targets. First, there must be a credible, independent audit of ODF claims, with a focus on community-level disparities. Second, sanitation policy must move beyond construction to usability – ensuring reliable water supply, promoting compact toilet designs for small homes, and guaranteeing maintenance of community facilities. Third, awareness campaigns must be intensified, particularly among marginalised groups, to bridge information gaps around subsidies and schemes. Finally, accountability must be localised, with panchayats and community organisations empowered and held responsible for last-mile delivery. Sanitation cannot be declared complete while exclusion persists. Until the most vulnerable households are reached, ODF will remain a statistic, not a reality.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Karnataka’s claim of being Open Defecation Free (ODF), and even a model for other states, sits uneasily with conditions on the ground. A recent survey by ActionAid Karnataka Projects lays bare this contradiction. In Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district, over 50% of Scheduled Caste (SC) households surveyed had no toilets, despite the district being declared ODF more than seven years ago. In several villages, even community toilets are absent. For women forced to defecate in the open, this translates into indignity and risk. This is not merely a failure of infrastructure but a reminder of how aggregated success can conceal entrenched inequities. SCs and STs, already at the margins of social and economic life, appear to have been left behind in the sanitation drive. The persistence of open defecation in these communities reflects not only gaps in implementation but also the state’s inability to address structural disadvantages – cramped housing, irregular water supply, and poor awareness of entitlements.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government’s assertion of 100% ODF status must, therefore, be treated with scepticism. Such claims rest heavily on administrative reporting and self-declaration, often without rigorous, independent verification. When half the households in a vulnerable segment lack toilets, the credibility of these figures is inevitably called into question. The location of this gap is equally telling. Belagavi, the state’s largest district, is not politically marginal. It has long been dominated by influential political families – the Jarkiholis, Kattis, Hebbalkars, Jolles, Kores, and Savadis – whose members have held power across party lines and governments. Such basic deficits in a politically well-represented region underscore the disconnect between political influence and equitable development. It also raises serious questions about the gaps that may exist in more backward districts with far less political visibility. This is unacceptable for a state that boasts of a robust GSDP and high per capita income.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Addressing this requires more than reiterating targets. First, there must be a credible, independent audit of ODF claims, with a focus on community-level disparities. Second, sanitation policy must move beyond construction to usability – ensuring reliable water supply, promoting compact toilet designs for small homes, and guaranteeing maintenance of community facilities. Third, awareness campaigns must be intensified, particularly among marginalised groups, to bridge information gaps around subsidies and schemes. Finally, accountability must be localised, with panchayats and community organisations empowered and held responsible for last-mile delivery. Sanitation cannot be declared complete while exclusion persists. Until the most vulnerable households are reached, ODF will remain a statistic, not a reality.</p>
