India 3

Challenge 1: Inclusive and integrated water resource management

Team members: Poulomi Chakraborty, Kausik Ghosh, Pratyaya Chakraborty

Little Yeti and her Himalayan Dreams

As the sun set behind the majestic Himalayan peaks, Little Yeti lay in bed, her heart pounding with excitement. Tomorrow would be a momentous day – her first visit to the high-altitude Himalayan lakes. Before drifting off to sleep, she asked her mother the meaning behind her name, Yeti. Her mother smiled and explained that the Yeti is believed to be the protector of the Himalayas, a legendary guardian of the mountains.

In her dreams that night, Little Yeti found herself transformed into a tiny superhero, soaring through the snow-covered peaks, protecting the Himalayas from harm. She felt the weight of responsibility on her small shoulders as she fought against threats to the pristine beauty of the mountains.

The following day arrived, and Little Yeti and her family embarked on their journey to the glacial melt lake in Gurudongmar, a place of spiritual significance and a popular destination for tourists located in the northern part of Sikkim Himalayas. As they travelled through the breathtaking landscapes, Little Yeti was captivated by the snow-covered Himalayan mountains, their peaks piercing the sky, and the glistening rivers and lakes that adorned the valleys. She couldn’t contain her excitement, especially when she spotted yaks grazing peacefully in the distance.

On their way to Gurudongmar, they made a stop in the quaint mountain village of Thangu, bustling with tourists like themselves. They stumbled upon a humble shop among the small wooden houses where a kind-hearted woman named Linzum welcomed them warmly. Linzum, a shopkeeper in her sixties, offered Little Yeti a bowl of steaming noodles for breakfast, providing comfort in the extreme cold weather. Little Yeti savoured each bite, feeling the warmth spread through her body.

While Linzum and her granddaughter Lagden busily prepared breakfast and boiled water for tourists on a wood burner with a metal chimney, their conversation unfolded amidst the absence of electricity. Linzum expressed her deep concern regarding the mounting pressure of tourists in recent years, a challenge they were struggling to cope with. The influx had surged to over 1000 visitors per day, a stark contrast to the 400-500 they had been accustomed to in the previous years. She explained how Lagden had to leave school during the tourist season to assist her, as her elder brother and father were occupied with guiding and driving tourist vehicles in Gangtok City. The hardships faced by Linzum, Lagden, and their fellow villagers weighed heavily on Little Yeti’s compassionate heart.

As breakfast came to an end, Yeti’s mother asked Linzum about the location of the washroom. Her mother disappeared towards the outhouse in the shop’s backyard. When she returned, Yeti expressed her need to use the washroom. However, her mother, with a hint of disappointment, directed her to an open area, claiming that the washroom was dirty and filthy, so as the surroundings.

Curiosity sparked within Little Yeti as she observed the backyard washroom. The sight and stench of the unsanitary conditions and littering garbage shocked her. She realized how the waste from the washroom was contaminating the nearby river, spreading a foul smell across the pristine environment. Determined not to pollute river, Little Yeti decided to hold on and wait until they reached their hotel, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

Sadly, their return journey from the hill station was marred by her mother falling ill. Concerned, Yeti’s father called for a doctor, who diagnosed her mother with a urine infection. The doctor inquired if she had been exposed to unsensitized and unhygienic toilets during their trip. Little Yeti’s heart sank as she realized the potential cause of her mother’s illness.

That night, in the depths of her sleep, Little Yeti experienced another vivid dream. She witnessed the Himalayan rivers turning into sewage, the mountains transforming into hills of garbage with filthy air enveloping the pristine landscape. The sight shocked her awake, and she immediately turned to her father, with a burning question, “Dad, as a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), can’t you find a solution to this problem?”

Intrigued by his daughter’s words, her father, Professor Abhiyan, contemplated the problem.

– Professor Abhiyan decided to take action. He realized that as a professor at the IIT, he has the knowledge and resources to make a difference.

– next day morning, Prof. Abhiyan called his colleagues from different departments to discuss the problem and solution. He gathers a team of passionate students and experts from various disciplines, including environmental engineering, urban planning, architecture and social sciences.

Together, they formed a research group and named the team “WASH Himalayas”, dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to recycle human waste and sanitation and hygiene challenges in the Himalayan region.

They divided the WASH Himalayas project into four-dimension plans: problem, solution, investments, and implications to ensure better health by rethinking resource utilisation, climate adaptation and inclusivity.

In 1) Problem plans, the team acknowledged the socio-environmental difficulties associated with handling sanitation and hygiene issues in extremely cold, high-altitude, and inaccessible terrains where there is a shortage of manpower for maintenance. The objective was to transform this problem into a sustainable solution by devising a plan to create affordable, water-efficient, and easily manageable toilets that could be deployed in the remote mountain village of Thangu in North Sikkim. This initiative aimed to encourage sanitation and hygiene practices, while also taking into consideration the cultural sensitivities of the local communities.

The team collaborated closely with local villagers, understanding their daily routines, traditions, and concerns. They designed and implemented eco-friendly human waste collection methods, recycling programs, and composting initiatives to minimize the environmental impact. To address the sanitation issue, the team explored alternative toilet designs suitable for the region’s challenging conditions.

In 2) Solution Plans, the team successfully innovated a Compost Toilet design integrating Microbial Fuel cells (MFC) that can manage both solid and liquid humanure, produce fertilizer out of it while simultaneously generating electricity from urine via MFC. These compost toilets employ composting techniques to transform solid waste into dry/powdered form, which can be utilized as fertilizer, and they also produce clean, disposable water through urine treatment. All the shops and toilets can be equipped with LED lights that remain operational throughout the day. They estimated an average of 30 litres of urine stored daily is sufficient to power a 50-watt LED light for five days.

In their quest to overcome the challenges of high-altitude recreational areas, the team realized they need to scale up their solution in collaboration with local authorities, NGOs, government agencies with assistance from the Eco-Loo and Pee-Power Groups. Both of these innovative organizations, having earned a reputation for designing sustainable toilets commercially around the world, could be the perfect partners for this expedition.

In 3) investment plans, They have estimated the entire installation process can cost up to $1200 for 1 unit. Hence, installing 15 complete units (without subsidy maximum cost) would be approximately $180,000. However, they can manage to overcome the initial funding challenge by securing financial assistance from the Global Bank, which offers a zero-interest loan for a period of six years.

For fund generation as a part of their repayment strategies, the team employed a socio-economic valuation approach. They engaged in discussions with multiple stakeholders to assess their willingness to pay (WTP) to ensure sanitation and hygiene in Thangu village. With the help of the local participatory group LTDC (Lachen Tourism Development Committee), which already collects maintenance/conservation funds from visitors, with per head Rs. 20 they can generate around $48,000 per year from 200,000 tourists, and 40% of this amount can be paid to repay funds for six years.

Furthermore, local drivers, business groups, and residents collectively expressed their willingness to contribute $12,000 annually. Also, additional government subsidies (quota: remote mountain rural restricted area) and local government funds/donations (from local Dzumsa in Lachen-Lachung) can contribute. Through effective management and timely repayments, the team successfully can clear the loan from the bank ahead of schedule. Now they are on the path to actively advocate for policy changes and secure additional funding to expand their projects throughout the Himalayan region, ensuring long-term sustainability.

4) Implications, the team also aims to focus on education, awareness and capacity building. They organize workshops and community engagement programs to teach the importance of waste management, sanitation, hygiene, and environmental conservation. They work closely with schools, involving children in waste treatment campaigns and empowering them to become environmental stewards.

The story concludes with a transformed Himalayan region where human waste is managed responsibly without contaminating water, sanitation facilities are accessible and hygienic, and the mountains are preserved for their natural beauty. Little Yeti’s dreams of protecting the Himalayas are now in the process of becoming a reality, inspiring others to cherish and safeguard this majestic landscape.

Little Yeti, witnessing her father’s dedication and their initiatives’ positive impact on the communities, becomes an ambassador for environmental conservation. She actively participates in awareness campaigns, spreading the message of preserving the Himalayan ecosystem for future generations.

Yeti’s dreams persisted that night, painting a vivid vision of her future. In her dream, she witnessed herself transforming into a scientist-entrepreneur. She is leading a company, “Yeti Abhiyan” (means Yeti Campaign), dedicated to addressing the pressing issue faced by 3.6 billion people worldwide who lack access to sanitation and 2.3 billion people who lack proper hygiene facilities.

This blogpost highlights the importance of sanitation, hygiene and environmental conservation in the Himalayas while showcasing the power of individual intention, team action and community/stakeholder collaboration.