In an attempt to solve the problem of open defecation in India, the National Democratic Alliance government (read Narendra Modi) promoted double-flush toilets through the Swachh Bharat Mission. (SBM). Its sludge management system is cost-effective and less hazardous compared to the conventional septic tanks used, and official estimates suggest rapid diffusion of the technology under the mission. In just four years (2014-2017), the availability of household toilets increased from 42% to 64%, with over five million villages across 25 States/Union Territories declared defecation free. free air (ODF). But all is not well behind these impressive figures. Evidence shows that physical access alone is not enough to ensure utilization, so much so that even ODF certified areas are not de facto ODF. The buzz around toilet construction/ODF certification has overshadowed the fact that the essence of universal water and sanitation coverage derives from the right to life, guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution. At the same time, India has ratified several international treaties that explicitly recognize the human rights to water and sanitation, as well as states' human rights obligations. Yet, there is no national legislation to protect these rights in the country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. These are supported by legal jurisprudence, allowing states to do just the “minimum” necessary to ensure legal clarity – whether aggressive or abusive applications. practices to achieve ODF status, such as revocation of ration cards, electricity services and/or shaming/penalization for open defecation, or diversion of funds intended for education and communication for a change in behavior towards the construction of more toilets. In such a top-down system, rights violation is widespread, mainly due to lack of ownership of beneficiaries and, consequently, lack of accountability of service providers. For example, although the government vouches for “safe” sanitation technology, its implementation may not prove to be so due to limited involvement/knowledge of the beneficiary in the decision to construct toilets. /to choose a technology. A 2017 WaterAid study found that almost a third of functional toilets under SBM failed to prevent human contact with faeces, either because they were not equipped with siphons, and/or are located at significant distances from drinking water points. From a human rights perspective, sanitation is not only about the individual right to use facilities, but also the human rights of others who may be negatively affected by inappropriate waste management sanitary facilities. Although the government has launched the ODF Plus Initiative and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation for waste management in rural and urban areas, the evidence of coverage is disconcerting. The Annual National Rural Sanitation Survey (2017-2018) shows that 70% of villages have waste management systems, while studies by WaterAid in 2017 and the World Health Organization/United Nations Fund United Children's Fund in 2015 revealed that around 30% of rural households and 9% of the urban population,..