Inadequate sanitation costs India US$54b
Source: Agencies |
December 21, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A LACK of toilets and poor hygiene practices in India cost Asia's third largest economy almost US$54 billion every year, the World Bank said yesterday.
Premature deaths, treatment for the sick, wasted time and productivity, as well as lost tourism revenues, are the main reasons for the high -economic losses, the bank said in a report.
"For decades, we have been aware of the significant impacts of inadequate sanitation in India," Christopher Juan Costain, the World Bank's head for South Asia's water and sanitation program, told a news conference.
"The report quantifies the economic losses to India, and shows that children and poor households bear the brunt of poor sanitation."
The study "Economic Impacts Of Inadequate Sanitation In India" is based on figures taken from 2006, but experts say these remain similar now. It said the largest economic loss was as a result of poor public health.
World Bank experts say there are 450,000 deaths out of 575 million cases of diarrhoea every year in India, where millions of people still have to defecate in the open.
The premature deaths, treatment of the sick for illnesses like diarrhoea, malaria, trachoma and intestinal worms, as well as the time lost due to illness, is costing US$38.5 billion alone.
Tourism revenues suffer from the lack of proper sanitation and cost the country about US$260 million a year, Costain said.
Premature deaths, treatment for the sick, wasted time and productivity, as well as lost tourism revenues, are the main reasons for the high -economic losses, the bank said in a report.
"For decades, we have been aware of the significant impacts of inadequate sanitation in India," Christopher Juan Costain, the World Bank's head for South Asia's water and sanitation program, told a news conference.
"The report quantifies the economic losses to India, and shows that children and poor households bear the brunt of poor sanitation."
The study "Economic Impacts Of Inadequate Sanitation In India" is based on figures taken from 2006, but experts say these remain similar now. It said the largest economic loss was as a result of poor public health.
World Bank experts say there are 450,000 deaths out of 575 million cases of diarrhoea every year in India, where millions of people still have to defecate in the open.
The premature deaths, treatment of the sick for illnesses like diarrhoea, malaria, trachoma and intestinal worms, as well as the time lost due to illness, is costing US$38.5 billion alone.
Tourism revenues suffer from the lack of proper sanitation and cost the country about US$260 million a year, Costain said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
