Two years ago, at a huge gathering, the Union Minister for Fertilizers and Chemicals, M.K. Alagiri, said, “Madurai will remain Madurai… Many politicians who claimed that they would turn Madurai into Singapore are not to be seen…” “The city,” he went on to say, “will have clean and neat toilets for the use of common man; it will provide potable water to people even in remote areas and take due care of senior citizens and those below poverty line…”
In another meeting, he said, “Many people wanted big industries to come up in southern districts, but I told them that I will certainly bear this in mind. But my first priority is to improve the basic needs of people in BPL category…”
In about six months, in 13 locations, free modern toilets were opened for public use. The concept was like public, using the facility, would not be charged, while the upkeep was entrusted with leading corporate houses, who willingly agreed to appoint conservancy workers on round-the-clock shift basis, to procure cleaning materials and pay electricity bills. The idea of not charging the public was solely aimed at cultivating a habit among the masses to use toilets and not defecate in open areas in public places,” Mr. Alagiri maintained.
For their part, the then authorities in Corporation of Madurai earmarked land in places like Periyar bus stand, Maatuthavani, Arapalayam, Government Rajaji Hospital, Anna Bus Stand, Tirumalai Nayak Palace, Sellur and Arapalayam. The sponsors built the toilets, which had tiled floors and water facility, among others. Public welcomed it. Passengers in transit were able to use these modern toilets, which were kept clean and tidy. The eco-conscious citizens and frequent commuters were free from the bad odour that usually welcomed them at bus stands and near the Government Rajaji Hospital.
Change of things
But after Mr. Alagiri's men faced a drubbing in the Assembly elections and a repeat performance was witnessed in the local body polls, things changed. As the new faces took over, people expected more good things to happen. The expectations remain unfulfilled, so far.
Politics stepped into these toilets. Today, many free-to-use toilets among the 13 locations have been taken over by people under the name of “self-help-group” with the blessings of the new administrators. The so called SHGs are not only charging the public but also have failed to maintain them properly, users complain.
According to regular users, the toilets are stinking now. The public are forced to pay money for using the facility, but the custodians actually fail to keep them clean. S. Shabeer Khan, a student from Tirupalai, who comes to Periyar bus stand during weekends and works in a shop on a part-time basis, said that the government or civic body could collect a nominal fee but should maintain them well.
A staff, in-charge of the maintenance of a private sponsor's toilet facility, said that they spent nearly Rs.15 lakh on establishing the facility.
“We did it in public interest. We had built the toilet on corporation land. The monthly expenses worked out to Rs.20,000, which included salaries for the conservancy workers, procurement of cleaning materials and payment of EB bill. But, after the change in regime, we were forced to vacate the place recently and hand over the keys to some people, who claimed to be women SHGs. We, sponsors, were not only abused, but also described as sympathisers of Alagiri and supporters of the DMK. Armed with a letter from the Corporation authorities, the SHG women vacated us,” he charged.
A sponsor, who wished to speak on condition of anonymity, said that the Corporation should not bring in politics into such programmes, which were purely operated in public interest. There is nothing beyond that. “We did this only to show that corporate/business houses have social responsibility and have to repay in some good way to the society. The new rulers should only encourage sponsors and introduce more and more such programmes which would preserve the environment. Only with the help of every user public the city can be improved and not with one or two or just a small group.”
A traveller, M. Rajesh, said that the toilets were not at all clean. Commuters, who arrived here in the nights and during odd hours from other cities, used open space to urinate. An outpatient, who came from Chekkanoorani to the GRH, said that the free-to-use toilet opposite the hospital was not clean.
Facility for women open
“Only the facility for women is open for use, on payment, while the toilet for men is closed for reasons not known.”
On an average, close to two lakh people used these 13 free-to-use toilets and the city's open space(s) were free from the foul smell. If the authorities wanted to collect money from the users, they could do so. But what was the need to evict existing sponsors who were operating without relying on the money from the users or from the Corporation authorities, he asked.
When contacted, Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa said that the women SHGs were handed over the operation only after the sponsors expressed inability to run the free-to-use toilets in the city. If the public felt that the charges were exorbitant or not kept clean, the Corporation authorities would examine them. The idea of giving it to the women SHGs came, after a consensus, only with the sole intention to encourage them.
From the money collected from the users, the SHGs would pay the conservancy workers and also meet other basic expenditure, he summed up.
