Although sanitation is a core element of healthy family and community life and an important indicator of social development, it has not received the sociological attention it deserves. Based on an analysis of both rural and urban areas cutting across diverse social groups, this article shows that the sanitation in India is not only a rural but also an urban problem, particularly in the context of growing industrialisation, coupled with concomitant rapid urbanisation and expansion of cities. The article unveils the link between poor sanitation, especially preference for open defecation among rural folks with peoples’ practices and perceptions, which are deeply rooted in cultural norms. Ultimately, it is argued that it is not the resources but rather the beliefs, practices and customs of people related to health and environment that matter in improving the sanitary conditions in India
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