Ill-kept public toilets in slums draw house panel ire

The Environment Committee of the Delhi Assembly has expressed serious concern over the deplorable condition of community toilet complexes in jhuggi-jhonpri clusters.

The committee, which was presented a report on the status of the community toilet complexes around Delhi by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said the report itself was an eye opener on how these complexes have faced neglect over the years.

It noted with regret that due to neglect of the community toilets, lakhs of poor residents of these colonies were compelled to eat, sleep and live in the most unhygienic conditions.

One by one, the members expressed anger and frustration over the apathy of the MCD on such an important issue.

The committee, chaired by Wazirpur MLA Hari Shankar Gupta, then summoned the Municipal Commissioner to appear before it at the next meeting with an explanation on why these community toilets have been neglected.

It also recommended that all the Deputy Commissioners of MCD zones convene a meeting before the next meeting of the Environment Committee to take stock of the issue Assembly-wise. Further, directions were issued that area MLAs and Councillors be invited to attend these meetings.

The Environment Committee has also directed the MCD to number all toilet blocks in bold letters and paint on them the control room numbers so that people may lodge any complaint about maintenance related issues.

The committee has also directed the MCD to reveal details of expenditure incurred in the last three financial years on the upkeep of these toilet blocks as well details of funds earmarked for this purpose.

In the report, the MCD had stated that out of the 1,544 community toilet complexes which had about 27,000 water closets - as many as 767 were found to be in need of minor repairs while 475 were in need of major repairs as per a survey conducted in 2008. Moreover, it also informed that of these toilet complexes, 294 were no longer required as the Delhi Jal Board had laid sewer lines around these colonies and the residents had installed water closets in their houses.