Sikkim’s sewerage system ‘remains underdeveloped compared to national benchmarks’: report
A new report by the NFSSM Alliance indicates that Sikkim's sewerage infrastructure is significantly underdeveloped compared to national benchmarks. Despite the state's achievements in cleanliness, only a fraction of the population is connected to piped networks, necessitating urgent infrastructure upgrades.
Why it matters
The findings underscore the challenges of maintaining sustainable sanitation in mountainous regions and the gap between environmental policy goals and physical infrastructure.
Sikkim has several attributes. It is India’s only fully organic State, its first Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus model State, and each of its nine urban local bodies is certified ODF+, with Mangan bagging the ‘Promising Clean City Award’ at the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25.
However, a new baseline survey has revealed what happens to wastewater after it is flushed, portraying a State caught between celebrated wins and leaking pipes, with a workforce struggling to cope with a Himalayan problem.
The National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Alliance conducted the study titled ‘Sunaulo, Samriddha, ani Samarth Sikkim: Strategic Pathways for Liquid and Used Water Management Report’ as part of its ongoing engagement with the State’s Urban Development. The report was released during a two-day workshop on sustainable sanitation in Gangtok recently.
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