Access to sanitation is a basic human right. India stands as one of the worst performers in the field of sanitation with 53% of its population still going for open defecation. With China (1%), Pakistan (23%) and Bangla Desh (less than 3%), it is a matter of concern for all of us to rid India of open defecation and manual scavenging. Open defecation has numerous implications for our environment, health, economy and social behavior. It also leads to loss of dignity for women who become vulnerable to rape and sexual assault. This is in spite of Rs.150 billion in spending by the Government since 2001 to build 93.5 million latrines. The figures of people using toilets have gone up from 1% in 1981 to 29% in 2006 (WHO). According to the World Health Organization, an average of Rs. 6500 per person was lost due to the lack of cleanliness and hygiene. This problem reflects on our lack of awareness, lack of community support, poor sanitation behavior, social and religious factors and lack of funding and support groups. A target of open-defecation-free India by 2019 can be achieved if we commence our efforts in full force now to create demand for sustainable and environment friendly solutions.

Indian Railways is also confronting the problem of open defecation on its tracks, as a result of usage of open discharge toilets in its coaches. Railways carries over 23 million people in around 13000 coaches around the subcontinent every day. The growth in passengers has been more than 400% since 1951, straining the resources of Indian Railways. Even in its 161st year Railways often presents a pathetic site through the use of primitive toilets. The corrosion due to human waste adds a huge cost to track repairs.

The Railways has initiated a move to solve this problem via the induction of technology. In 2005, the research wing of Ministry Of Defense offered its successfully tested bio toilet and bio digester technology to the Railways. Since then, over 8000 bio toilets have been successfully installed out of 60000 coaches on track. Railways has set a target of fitting bio toilets in all the trains by2022. The Bio toilet technology has already made a mark in Indian Railways and this is where we start our mission of eradicating of open defecation and providing environment friendly, cost effective and easy to install and maintain Bio toilets. Dr. Lokendra Nath, (Outstanding Scientist and Director, Office of Director General of Life Sciences), Ministry Of Defense has sent his best wishes in a message dated 20th August 2014 :

"IT IS A MATTER OF SATISFACTION TO LEARN THAT SH ABHAY KHANNA FORMER GM/ICF (INDIAN RAILWAYS) HAS TAKEN UP THE NOBLE AND MOST CURRENT AND BURNING ISSUE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION THROUGH SPREAD OF BIO TOILETS.THE TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCED BY DRDO HAS SEEN MANY SUCCESSES IN RAILWAYS AND DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENTS AND IS EXPECTED TO REVOLUTIONALIZE THE USAGE OF GREEN SANITATION SOLUTIONS.OUR HON'LE PM SH MODI HAS ALSO FLAGGED THE ISSUE FROM THE RAMPERTS OF RED FORT ON THE INDEPENDENCE DAY. COMING DAYS WILL SEE A MAJOR THRUST IN THIS AREA AND THE NEED FOR A DEDICATED FOUNDATION FOR CHARITABLE CAUSE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE TIMELY.I EXTEND MY FULL SUPPORT AND BEST WISHES FOR THE SUCCESS OF SUVIDHA BIO FOUNDATION AND COMPLIMENT THE ENTIRE TEAM OF GOVERNING COUNCIL COMPRISING ESTEEMED DEDICATED LUMINARIES.INDIA WILL BENIFIT AND IN THAT LIES OUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT.WHILE PROMOTING THE CAUSE AND ACTION, I AM SURE DUE DILIGENCE WOULD BE MAINTAINED TO ENSURE QUALITY AND RELIABILITY, FOR WHICH MINISTRY OF DEFENSE HAS ALWAYS STOOD.REMEMBER SH MODI'S SLOGAN" ZERO DEFECT, ZERO EFFECT (ON ENVIRONMENT)". JAI HIND."

He further writes:

Dear Khanna ji
I am happy that you are taking our efforts of 25 years (almost of one generation) ahead for the benefit of society. As a scientist, I feel to be the happiest person if our efforts can improve the living standard of common people beside saving the life of lakhs of people. Of course it is the public money which was used for research and we feel satisfied if a portion of it can be paid back in any form. I wish all the best and hope that this time tested technology in all climate and situations will reach to every corner of the country and abroad.

Letter of 1909 that led to introduction of toilets in trains:

“Beloved Sir,

I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with lotah in one hand and dhoti in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female women on the platform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station.This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honor to make big fine on the guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report for papers.”

POINTS TO PONDER

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		Access to sanitation is a basic human right.
		Half of humanity lives in medieval conditions, with no clean, safe or private place to go to the toilet.
		Lack of sanitation obstructs the right to life and health.
		Lack of sanitation hampers the right to education. 443 million school days are lost every year due to sanitation and water related issues.
		Human excreta encourages the transmission of many infectious diseases killing one child every 20 seconds.
		Lack of sanitation thwarts the right to dignity.
		Lack of sanitation hurts and kills.
		UNDP has estimated that every dollar spent on water and sanitation generates a return of 8 dollars in reduced health costs and increased productivity.
		The World Toilet Organization declared November 19 as “World Toilet Day”.
		More than 143 million pounds of solid waste is generated due to 600m Indians going for Open Defecation (UNICEF).
		Open defecation contaminates groundwater, fruits and vegetables, and spreads disease.
		India has made some gains in the past 40 years, with 29 percent of households having access to a toilet in 2006, up from 1 percent in 1981, according to the World Bank.
		The Indian government’s recent promise is to achieve total sanitation by 2019.
		Bangladesh seems to have seen it differently: changing social, cultural, and religious norms are central to changing the practice. As early as the late 1980s, the government committed itself to a unique combination of community mobilization strategies, social marketing, private sector stimulation, and systems of incentives and accountability, which have all helped rapidly change sanitation behavior. Total sanitation means providing sustainable toilets as well as addressing sanitation behavior of communities.
		Green toilets are the future sanitation and waste water management solutions.
		Reinvent the toilet exhibition organized by Bill Gates and MIlinda Foundation exhibited 45 exhibits from 15 countries which included The Nano Membrane toilets, Sot – Char toilets.
		“Creating sanitation infrastructure and public service that works for everyone is a great challenge. There is an urgent need to go for a decentralized approach. The new toilets should be more affordable, better for environment and less wasteful of resources.” -Hari Mohan, Dy Dir. India country program,BMGF.
		“पहले शौचालय फिर देवालय” (First toilet, then temple) - Narendra Modi
		"Toilets are more important than temples"
		"Bio toilet trains, not bullet trains"
		"A gram of human feces has 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria and 12 thousand parasites" - UNICEF

TYPES OF DEFECATION

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		Open Defecation
		Individual houses toilets - dry, soak pit, twin pit & septic tank
		Flush & Forget

The above pits need periodical cleaning which doesn't solve the problem of manual scavenging

METHANE & FERTILE WATER GENERATION THROUGH ECO-FRIENDLY BIO DIGESTER TECHNOLOGY

VISION

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Our vision is that every Indian has access to a dignified and eco friendly toilet experience.

MISSION

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		We will live to eradicate open defecation and manual scavenging from the face of India.
		We will create awareness in Bio Toilets as a provider of sustainable sanitation solutions.
		We will create awareness in health and environmental issues and focus on community programs for safety and dignity of women.
		We will under take social projects for installation, and maintenance of Biotoilets and Biodigesters to improve sanitation behaviour.
		We will promote R&D in the bio toilet technology and waste water management systems.

"Right people in the right place at the right time with the right skills and tools, moving and growing in the right direction."

The dedicated team of Managing trustees is well known for their contribution to the society in their respective individual capacities and have joined this mission to make a difference , promote a sense of dignity and help eradication of Open Defecation from the planet. They have voluntarily agreed to support and take further the mission of the charitable organization of Suvidha Bio Foundation and will endeavor to make India proud.

Mr. Mukund Behari Kaushal Patron One of the eminent personalities of Delhi, Sh. Kaushal is a 1963 batch IPS officer, best known for his period as Commissioner Police Delhi and Secretary Internal Security, MOHA. He has been the President of Rotary Blood Bank in addition to being Trustee member in several other social and charitable organizations.

Mr. Abhay Kumar Khanna Founder & President A Former Railways officer belonging to 1975 batch of IRAS who successfully managed the financial planning of Indian Railways, and also carved his way up to become GM/Rlys. He successfully managed the biggest Rail Coach Production Unit at Integral Coach Factory/Chennai converting ICF into “Green ICF”. Recipient of several awards , he continued his innovative ways in furthering the quality and utility of Bio toilets in Railway coaches. He founded Suvidha Bio Foundation to promote amongst other objectives, the Bio Toilet technology thus helping the society through an innovative, environment friendly, sustainable and cost effective green sanitation solution.

Mr. Adhir Khanna Founder & Vice President An IIT/BHU alumni, is deeply involved in innovative technology for using the alternate sources of energy. Has done many welfare schemes involving use of DRDO technology and is also driven by a social mission to make a difference in the society. An entrepreneur and a visionary.

Mr. Rajiv Kapoor General Secretary & Managing Trustee An IIT/Delhi alumni with enormous energy and zeal for innovation and social commitment. Has been driven in his quest for new technologies to save environment and is a successful entrepreneur.

Mrs. Novel Lavasa Treasurer & Managing Trustee An institution in herself, is an example of complete dedication and devotion to the social causes. She demitted her position of AGM/SBI and joined various social movements and became guiding force to various educational bodies .Her commitment to environment drove her to be an active member of Suvidha Bio Foundation and make a difference to the society and providing dignity to the women.

Mrs. Sandhya Khanna Founder & Managing Trustee An educationist and a social worker. She caused many welfare schemes as President of Women welfare Organization at Jodhpur and at Chennai and made a difference. She managed schools for specially abled children and welfare schemes for families of Railway men. She is presently working as a teacher.

Mrs. Ritu Khanna Founder & Managing Trustee An entrepreneur with an impressive track record of social commitment and welfare work. She has undertaken several mission areas to educate and provide employment to women family members of her staff.

Mr. Jay Cheema Managing Trustee A corporate lawyer and a social sector missionary. He is an academic, a writer, and serves in various positions on the boards of academic institutions, corporates, social and service organisations.

Lt. Gen. (Retd.) J. S. Ahluwalia Managing Trustee A well known personality in the field of environment .He is the President of World Environment Foundation and also the President of Institute of Directors, in addition to many honorary positions.

Mr. Niraj Kumar Managing Trustee A brilliant Rly officer belonging to 1970 batch Jamalpur (IRSME), held several important positions in the Ministry of Rlys. Has worked as DG of National Academy for Railways at Vadodara. He was instrumental right from inception, on the mission of introduction of bio toilets in Rly coaches and has been part of many improvements carried out in Rly Bio Toilets.