In 1970, realising that sewerage facilities will remain out of the reach of the society at large, Sulabh International headed by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak introduced a pioneer technology twin pour flush latrines and human excreta based Biogas plants. This organization has constructed in the last 25 years over 650, 000 toilet-bath complexes and 62 human excreta based biogas plants and are maintaining them. This gives an appropriate solution to disposal and recycling of human waste into fertiliser, electricity and working gas.



As sewerage based toilets remain and will remain out of the reach of the majority of population in India, the challenge is to propagate and ensure installation of toilets which are affordable, upgradeable and easy to maintain. The Sulabh experiment is a success story and the technology is well established and has been successfully functioning for the last 25 years and is financially sustainable. At household level TPPF latrine based on Sulabh Model has also been a success and is in use in 650,000 households. It is however, now necessary in India to replicate it on a mass scale with public pay and use toilets with Biogas plants at neighbourhood level and Sulabh TPPF latrine at household level.

Sulabh Shauchalaya- technology is technologically appropriate, socio-culturally acceptable and economically affordable. It is low cost, requires only two litres of water to flush and can function even where enough water is not available. It does not require the service of scavengers nor does it pollute air and it provides manure on the spot, can be cleaned and easily maintained by house-owners themselves. The two pits work alternately. It has a high potential for upgradation i.e. can be easily connected to sewer when introduced in the area. The Government of India, State governments, various national, bilateral and international agencies like UNICEF, WHO, UNDP / World Bank etc. have accepted that Sulabh Shauchalaya (twin pit pour-flush latrine) is the most appropriate low-cost technological option. They have suggested the adoption of this system in India and other developing countries.