Question

Define sanitation.
A. Unhygienic practices to promote health
B. Unhygienic practices for unhealthy life
C. Both A and B
D. Hygienic practices to promote health.

Answer 1

Hint:- Sanitation refers to any practice that ensures a clean and healthy environment. It forms one of the very important aspects of our society and daily lives as lack of good sanitation practices can lead to the advent of diseases or the spread of existing diseases at a much faster pace. Let us know more about sanitation.

Complete Answer:-
Let us first understand the basics of sanitation.
So, sanitation refers to the services and facilities aiming at providing a clean and hygienic environment for the purpose of maintaining a healthy society. It mainly involves safe disposal of human urine and feces as well as garbage collection and wastewater disposal.
If we talk about the major types or technologies under sanitation, they are-
- Excreta management systems
- Wastewater management systems
- Solid waste management systems
- Stormwater drainage (rainwater drainage systems).
- Promotion of hygiene forms an integral part of sanitation and involves processing of the waste from the collection to treatment or reuse.
- Health aspects of sanitation can be categorised broadly into-
- Direct impact- fecal-oral infection, waterborne infections, etc.
- Conditions caused by previous or preceding infection- pneumonia ( related with the repeated diarrhea in undernourished children), anemia (related with hookworm infection).
- Broader well- being- Immediate ( anxiety) and long term (poverty).
- From the above discussion, it is clear that the correct answer is (D)- Hygienic practices to promote health.

Note:- Providing sustainable sanitation is one of the main challenges, especially for developing countries. Clean water and sanitation is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It is Goal 6 including detailed 8 targets and 11 indicators to be achieved by 2030.