The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is looking for alternative accommodation for a family that is living in an unused public toilet for the last few years.
The issue came under the spotlight when the family members claimed they do not have any other place to live. The public toilet in Rajendranagar-Kesare area is located near the housing complex built by the Karnataka Slum Board and the occupants include six men, four women and three children.
The family members say they have not received any accommodation facility and hence are forced to live in the toilet which has not been used by the public.
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However, Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath said the issue is not new and came to their attention almost two years ago. She said appeals to the family to vacate the public toilet went in vain and fresh efforts were being made to rehabilitate them to an alternative place.
MCC Comissioner Gurudutt Hegde said the toilet was built by the Karnataka Slum Board and the family claims to have lived there for 7 years noe. Ideally, the board should have taken a call and rehabilitated them much earlier, but they do not have any documents like voters IDs or Aadhaar to make them legitimate beneficiaries of any government programmes or schemes. They have also not come forward seeking help to secure documents, said the commissioner.
Mr. Hegde said the MCC does not have facilities for housing the family but it is now coordinating with other departments of the government to find a suitable liveable accommodation within 3 to 6 days, he added.
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In the meantime, MCC officials have been instructed to ensure that the members receive ration cards, aadhaar cards, etc., through which they will be empowered to apply for government schemes. “I want to take them in housing scheme and will give them preference after rehabilitating and providing them documents,” Mr. Hegde said.