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Poor sanitation is one of the main problems in slums and squatter settlements
all over the world. With approximately one million inhabitants, Orangi is the largest squatter settlement in Karachi (Pakistan). The first squatters settled in Orangi in the early 1960s. Government agencies only constructed the main roads, the water supply network, electricity lines and a few schools and hospitals. Until 1980, most households used bucket latrines and soakpits for the disposal of human waste and open sewers for the disposal of waste water, resulting in a high rate of water-borne diseases.The residents of Orangi were aware of these problems, but they could not solve them, because:
Dr.Akhtar Hameed Khan established the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) in 1980 with the objective to improve living conditions in the area and to develop a model for replication in other areas. The OPP is essentially a research institution with the aim of identifying problems and developing solutions which can be implemented by the population in an organized manner. The OPP does not construct infrastructure, but it promotes community organization and self-management on a sustainable basis. It
The OPP started with a study of the problems in Orangi and identified four levels in a modern sanitation system: the sanitary toilets inside the house; the underground sewer lines with house connections and manholes in the house access lanes; the secondary collector drains; and the main drains and the treatment plant. OPP research found that house owners were willing and competent to assume the responsibility for the construction and maintenance of the first three levels which constitutes about 90 per cent of the system. The main drains and the treatment plant were clearly the responsibility of the government.
OPP research then focused on the technology in order to lower the cost of the sanitation system to such a level that the residents of Orangi could easily participate in its construction. Cost reductions were achieved by simplifying the design and the methods of construction and by eliminating contractors and middlemen. OPP research showed that a family owning a house on a 100 sq.yrd plot with an average value of US$800 could have a sanitary toilet on the plot connected to an underground sewer line in the lane at a cost of US$33.
To implement the plans for a low-cost sewerage system, the community of Orangi had to be organized. A viable community organization has to be small enough to encourage participation by the beneficiaries and large enough to undertake the relatively big task of building a sewerage system. The OPP chose the lane, consisting of 20-40 houses as the basic unit of organization, since it is small enough to ensure participation and large enough to ensure economies of scale.
OPP technicians surveyed the lanes, ascertained levels and prepared maps, plans and estimates, while OPP social organizers explained the benefits of the sewerage system to the house owners and identified an activist in each lane who could serve as lane manager, and hold meetings, create consensus and settle disputes. The task of the lane manager is to collect the required funds, hire labour and manage the construction process; he also keeps detailed accounts of the costs. In addition, the OPP launched a training programme for small-scale building contractors to develop their skills in implementing the construction without constant technical supervision by the OPP staff.
The involvement of the residents does not stop with the construction; regular maintenance is very important. Because the lane residents have made a contribution towards the construction of the system, they are also highly motivated to ensure its sustained operation through regular maintenance.
Over the years, the OPP identified and analyzed other problems in the area and developed the following model programmes:
The most tangible result of the work of the Orangi Pilot Project has been the construction of sewer lines in the lanes and roads of Orangi.
| total | % | |
|---|---|---|
| physical results | ||
| lanes with sewer lines | 4,974 | 78.4 |
| length (in ft.) | 1,243,954 | |
| secondary drains | 389 | |
| length (in ft.) | 160,218 | |
| sanitary toilets | 75,776 | 80.5 |
| investments (in rs) | ||
| sewer lines | 17,027,694 | |
| secondary drains | 1,743,503 | |
| sanitary toilets | 38,417,200 |
Although the exact impact is difficult to measure, the OPP programmes have definitely strengthened the position of women in Orangi society and their participation in community affairs. The rate of sanitation-related diseases has gone down giving women more time and energy for productive activities. Because less money has to be spent on medical treatment, more of the family income can be used for education, housing, nutrition etc.
The OPP programmes have not been without problems, but the approach is constantly beiimproved and adjusted to cope with new problems which arise. For instance, while the Orangi residents constructed their toilets and sewer lines in the area, the government failed to construct the sewer mains and treatment plant to evacuate the sewage from the area. One of the lessons drawn by OPP is the need to work with both the communities and the government to solve environmental problems in squatter settlements. In such a tripartite arrrangement, each party has its specific role and responsibilities doing what it does best.
Orangi Pilot Project Research and Training Institute (OPP-RTI)
1-D, 26 Daulat House,
Orangi Town, Karachi
Pakistan
tel.: 665-2297
fax: 9221-435704
Last updated March 15, 1999. This web site is maintained by Urban Management Center.