The second phase of NGO Gramalaya’s project to renovate community toilets (CTs) built in low-income neighbourhoods in four zones of Tiruchi across 65 wards is nearing completion, bringing relief to many economically backward families. Along with 95 CTs refurbished in the first phase last year, the project has taken on 100 more in the second round, from March 2021.
There are 432 public and community toilets in Tiruchi, of which 380 are CTs, located in 185 declared slums of Tiruchi City Corporation. Gramalaya’s project is confined to 195 CTs, which include integrated sanitary complexes with a bath and laundry area, besides toilets.
“We are retrofitting toilets that were built in 2000, so there is lot of work involved, from changing the toilet pans and re-tiling the floors, to fixing new doors and installing sanitary napkin incinerators and laundry rooms. The project will be ready for handover in March,” M. Ilangovan, Executive Director, Gramalaya, told The Hindu .
The NGO received a grant of ₹2,35,40,000 for the second phase of the project from the Mumbai-based philanthropic organisation HT Parekh Foundation, similar to the amount received for the first phase. “Once the pay-and-use toilets are ready, safety hygiene and education (SHE) teams from the slums will take up the daily upkeep. They will report to the Women’s Action for Village Empowerment (WAVE) Federation,” said Mr. Ilangovan. The new facilities also have women-friendly toilets and promote safe menstrual hygiene.
Despite the challenges thrown up by the lockdown, the refurbishment was on schedule, said Mr. Ilangovan. “The renovated toilet facilities are self-sustaining and discourage a return to open defecation. This will help Tiruchi regain its place in the Swachch Survekshan programme,” he said.
