Question

Which of the following is/are mandatory requirement(s) of an area to be declared as ODF++ under the Swachh Bharat Mission of Government of India?

• A. All households have piped water connection.
• B. All households have rainwater harvesting systems.
• C. All sludge and sewage are safely managed and treated, with no discharge into the open environment.
• D. All households have dry and wet waste segregation systems.

Hint:

ODF++ is the sanitation ladder level that certifies safe faecal sludge and sewage treatment with no open discharge; it is not about piped water, rainwater harvesting, or solid waste segregation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall what ODF, ODF+, and ODF++ mean under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The Swachh Bharat Mission - Urban defines a ladder of sanitation certifications for cities and towns. ODF (Open Defecation Free) certifies that no one defecates in the open because everyone has access to a toilet. ODF+ adds requirements on the maintenance and functionality of community and public toilets, covering water supply, cleanliness, and upkeep. ODF++ goes a step further and focuses on what happens to the faecal sludge and sewage after it is collected.

Step 2: State the specific mandatory requirement for ODF++.
For an area to be certified ODF++, all the faecal sludge and sewage generated in that area must be safely collected, transported, treated, and disposed of, with no discharge of untreated faecal sludge or sewage into open drains, water bodies, or open land. This is the defining criterion that separates ODF++ from the lower ODF and ODF+ levels.

Step 3: Check each option against this specific ODF++ requirement.
"All households have piped water connection" (option A) is a service-level benchmark tracked under other components of the Swachh Bharat Mission or AMRUT, but it is not the criterion that defines ODF++ certification specifically.
"All households have rainwater harvesting systems" (option B) relates to water conservation and stormwater management, not sanitation or sewage handling, so it is not an ODF++ requirement.
"All sludge and sewage are safely managed and treated, with no discharge into the open environment" (option C) is exactly the defining requirement of ODF++, matching the standard almost word for word.
"All households have dry and wet waste segregation systems" (option D) relates to solid waste management, part of the "Garbage Free City" star-rating protocol under Swachh Bharat Mission, not the ODF++ sanitation ladder.

Final Answer:
Only the requirement on safe management and treatment of sludge and sewage, with no open discharge, defines ODF++ certification.
\[ \boxed{\text{Option (C) only}} \]