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There is one reality we are confronted with in almost all major Indian cities—the unmistakable, unshakeable stench of rotting sewage.

Year after year, Bengaluru’s lakes continue to froth angrily because of the high level of waste in them. But these lakes aren’t outliers. Like clockwork, every torrential monsoon in Mumbai sees the city’s roads flooded with sewer water. And in Delhi, the arterial Yamuna has been a cesspool for decades.

The cause for all this untreated sewage floating around is as obvious as it is revolting—sewage management in India is either non-existent or woefully unsatisfactory.