Revamping Urban Sanitation: The Game-Changing Branding of Desludging Services

In partnership with PSI India, we transformed Lucknow's FSM landscape, tripling safe fecal sludge disposal from 25 lakh liters in January 2020 to 72 lakh liters by January 2021. Operators embraced tanker rebranding under Lucknow Nagar Nigam (LNN) guidelines, showcasing professionalism and their commitment to safe, reliable service.

A key achievement of this collaboration was the registration of all 50 private desludging vehicles by the Jalkal Department of LNN, ensuring their safe disposal at designated Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Sewage Pumping Stations (SPSs). Additionally, PSI India field team conducted community outreach to encourage the use of registered operators through the fecal sludge management (FSM) 14420 helpline. To ensure safe disposal, the vehicles were equipped with GPS trackers, monitored by the FSM call center in LNN. Moreover, the desludging workers were trained on standard operating procedures and mandatory use of personal protective equipment, for safe extraction, transportation and safe disposal.

However, despite these advancements, desludging operators continued to face social stigma and operational hurdles, highlighting the need for more substantial change. Moreover, the PTOs’ vehicles, often painted according to personal preference, contributed to a lack of professionalism and led to illegal recoveries by local police.

Underlining the importance of safety, professionalism and respect, a rebranding initiative led by PSI India and LNN was launched, resulting in the branding of all 50 private desludging vehicles and 4 vehicles owned by LNN. This effort involved securing approval for the use of government logos and adhering to an approved colour scheme. The logos included those of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Safai Mitra Suraksha Challenge (SMSC), LNN, Government of India, Swachh Survekshan, and the Malasur (Demon of Defeca) campaign, enhancing visibility and promoting safe, mechanized desludging while discouraging manual scavenging.

Moreover, the vehicles displayed a helpline number for the FSM call center and the LNN registration number, informing the public, police and government of the vehicles’ authorized status. Similar branding efforts were extended to public and community toilets across Lucknow, with ‘wall paintings’ done by involving community ward champions.

Ram Kailash, elucidated, "This comprehensive approach has not only fostered trust among the government and the community but has also instilled a sense of pride and legitimacy in the registered tankers. As a result, an additional 10 tankers have voluntarily embraced this branding at their own cost. The uniform branding and GPS tracking have improved service quality and accountability, reducing illegal dumping and police recoveries. The public now has ready access to a list of registered operators available on the LNN website, enhancing trust and service reliability."

The transformation from stigmatization to respect, from health hazard to health promotion, underscores the profound impact of strategic branding and collaborative efforts. It serves as an exemplary model for other cities facing similar challenges, demonstrating how to dignify essential services and safeguard public health through innovation, empathy and partnership.

Population Services International (PSI India) in its 'After the Flush' project collaborated with the Lucknow Nagar Nigam (LNN), aiming to systemically overhaul and formalize the waste management ecosystem by organizing Private Transport Operators (PTOs), advocating government policies, and raising public awareness.