India has more cell phones than toilets: study
We knew it when “text messanger's thumb” happened, and we damn sure knew it when there was “cell phone elbow,” an infliction so evidently serious CNN featured an entire story on the syndrome.
Yes, the world has gone nuts with mobile phones. We know this.
But our over-use of cell phones has always come with a sort of self-deprecating sentiment. A kind of “Oh, yeah, you can’t get enough of your CrackBerry, either” vibe, suggesting there’s at least a little humour behind our reliance on handheld devices.
Doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of chuckling with a story like this, though.
A new report from the United Nations University in Tokyo has revealed more people in India have access to a cell phone than they do a working toilet.
According to the numbers, there are 545 million cell phones in the nation, enough to serve about 45 per cent of India’s population. By contrast, only 366 million people (31 per cent of the country) can use regular plumbing, what the UN calls “improved sanitation.”
“It is a tragic irony to think that in India, a country now wealthy enough that roughly half of the people own phones, about half cannot afford the basic necessity and dignity of a toilet,” noted Zafar Adeel, director of the United Nations University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health.
These are pretty staggering numbers, and should also come as little surprise to anyone who caught that scene in Slumdog Millionaire where the kid gets locked in a pay toilet and has to jump to freedom though the, um, basement.
But there's an economic plan in place to fix this problem.
The UN estimates it costs about $300 to build a toilet – labour, materials, everything – in India, but Adeel notes that’s cash the world can see realized as a long-term investment.
According to the director, each dollar spent on sanitation in India can return between $3 and $34, realized through reduced poverty, lower health costs and higher productivity in the country.
“Anyone who shirks the topic as repugnant, minimizes it as undignified, or considers unworthy those in need should let others take over the for the sake of 1.5 million children and countless others killed each year by contaminated water and unhealthy sanitation,” he said.
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Shithead | Apr 25, 2021 9:30:22 PM
Ooops! Wges are $1.05 per day of 12-15 hours not per hour. Thanks.
Posted by: canuck | Apr 25, 2021 9:54:10 PM
Indians would still use the $300/toilet money on investments! They are dirty, money hungry ppl who can't afford basic sanitary needs as toilets yet plan on investments!
Perhaps the UN should offer them an unlimited supply of Adult diapers. That should atleast keep the railroads and streets poop free.
Posted by: Kuldeep Ahluwalia | Apr 25, 2021 10:34:24 PM
It's not advisable to compare India and Canada 'cause in some things India is Good and in some Canada. Some people get upset if u tell something wrong about their country. To them it is like somebody is abusing their family(member). That's their love for their native land-so do I. But as far as this article is concerned, it is a fact which should not be ignored but mentioning the movie "slumdog millionaire" and the tiolet related scene doesn't show Jason Buckland's sensibility which is worthless. It shows his lack of knowlege about the India and must go on a tour to find some other related issue. He must keep in mind the area and population of the country before coming to any conclusion.
Posted by: Swami | Apr 25, 2021 10:49:17 PM
I liked the last comment! It's time to get real. I have been to India many times. No complains aabout food, water, etc. BUT when it comes to toilet! man!! It's hard to get into those Mcdonald's, airports or any other restrooms! THEY ALL SUCK! India definitly needs good toileting sytem, if the country wants visitors. Specially young children who are born in Canada or US. Mr. Prime Minister, leave the corruption alone and do something about the public toilet system! May be he can use one of those and will realize it that why SHIT is not coming out!
Posted by: knowledge eater | Apr 25, 2021 11:15:13 PM
Owning Cell phone doesn't make you rich. People are taking it wrong way of article. India is number 1 in hepatitis epidemic, and thats not because India is poor country. India is 3rd world country only on paper. Public fund or government fund or what ever the fund is being used to solve sanitation problems not properly utilized. I am tired of hearing political corruption. Then whats the point of vaccinating kids if you are going to make kids sick again, again, again and again. I think comparing # cell phone with # toilets was just to get attention to viewers. Again, owning toilets doesn't make you rich, but to be honest, if you ask people in India, there are lot of people who uses cell phone for time-pass or fun. They waste money after cell phone. If you ask them, do they really need it, there will be large group denying it. Its revolution, its great thing, but what about the problems, that they were there 50 years ago and still there are same problem. Enough is enough. Who cares if its 1.3 billion, there are at least 1 billion people who can fix this problem as well. Why every time they need gov't to fix problem. Because we all know that how well gov't works there. Otherwise it will remain the same even in 2050.
Posted by: DJ | Apr 25, 2021 11:16:17 PM
Comparing India to Canada is abominable. India is a stinking, rat infested, diisease ridden, filthy country. When I think of India I think of "Rats in a Sewer" How do I know? because I was born in India. I would rather be living on the streets in Canada than go back to that hellhole of a cesspool. I love Canada
Posted by: Sahinsha | Apr 25, 2021 11:59:44 PM
INDIA IS USING TOILETS EACH DAY-AND ARE BORED TO USE IT,
CELLPHONE THEY NEVER HAD, SO THEY EAT TABLETS TO STOP GOING TO TOILET WE
ARE WORKING TO SAVE WATER, AND KEEP THE WORLD GREEN. AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY
GO INDIA GO-!!
Posted by: 655 Hemi | Apr 27, 2021 2:06:10 PM
Folks, I've been to several parts of India. The whole country is one big toilet. People just relieve themselves wherever they feel like it.
Cells phones are irrelavent. The country stinks.
What amazes me is we want to do business with these people!!!
Posted by: 170615nizar | Apr 27, 2021 6:30:41 PM
It is true land-line is costly in India,and thus more people have cell-phones.Same thing in Africa,say Tanzania where I found almost everybody had a cell-phone.Why?becacause they were cheaper.We should protest about the price here in Canada for the same and then we can discuss cell-phones vs.toilets
Posted by: DJ | Apr 27, 2021 8:24:38 PM
I agree with you Hemi and I like your comment. Why have more toilets when the whole country is one big stinking toliet. When you walk in India you got to be wary of every step you take or else you will land in poop. The people there have no basic hygiene and even if they have more toilets, believe me you would not want to go within a mile of it let alone stepping into one.