The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation will set up 11 multipurpose service centres across the city to provide guidance and training to community groups in maintaining public toilets, Corporation Commissioner V.P.Thandapani said here on Saturday.
Speaking at a consultative meeting to discuss the civic body’s move to form 400 community groups vested with the task of maintaining public toilets, Mr.Thandapani said a service centre will be set up for every six wards. The community groups will maintain 395 public toilets with the support and guidance of voluntary organisations.
Stating that the corporation was committed to eradicating open defecation by 2015 within the city limits, Mr.Thandapani said the civic body has decided to pay the electricity charges incurred for lighting the public toilets from its general funds. Similarly, disinfectants and other necessary equipment will be provided to the groups.
A radius of 250 metres around each public toilet would be treated as no open defecation zone and those violating it would be liable for penalties.
The 400 community groups which are to be formed by integrating the women’s self help groups functioning in the city and beneficiaries would also be involved in maintenance of other public assets such as parks, running Aavin kiosks at the park, collection of garbage from apartments and other services, he said.
