Public toilets in city are filthy and lack basic amenities, such as water; most of the proposed facilities for women are still on the paper while funds lie unutilised
The ruling BJP's Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) could not wake up the municipal corporations under its leadership, which had promised to build new toilet blocks in the city's 272 wards. The existing ones are filthy and lack even the basic amenities, such as water. The women have been the worst sufferers with no toilets for them in popular markets and public places.
Meanwhile, the south corporation's direction to restaurants, asking them to allow people to use their toilets, will come into force from April 1, even though the restaurateurs are against the move.
Hailing the move, however, Daryaganj resident Shashi Joshi said: "Whenever we go to Chandni Chowk or nearby markets, there is not even a single toilet in the vicinity. Also, there are only two to three restaurants with toilets. Just in order to use toilet, we end up buying something. I wish the new proposal of restaurants allowing people to use toilets for a fee is extended to rest of Delhi."
According to SBM guidelines, there must be a toilet complex available at a distance of every one kilometre. Access to public toilets is expected to be a crucial deciding factor during the upcoming civic polls. The three BJP-led municipal corporations -- north, south and east -- go to the polls on April 23.
In 2015, the corporations had received Rs 120-crore fund from the Centre under the SBM to build toilet blocks, besides for other sanitation work in the national Capital. The corporations, however, started using the fund only in 2016. Most of the proposed women toilets under the north and east corporations are still on paper while those which have been constructed have still not been thrown open for use.
According to a north corporation report on sanitation released on Thursday, the civic body, which has over 800 toilet blocks under its jurisdiction, has built 50 women toilet seats over the last year, which became functional just a few months ago. The east corporation, which has 400 toilet blocks under it, has built 70 new blocks under the Mission.
North corporation Commissioner P K Gupta said: "We have built 50 toilets for women. Tenders for 290 other toilet blocks are in process." This is besides the 338 waterless non-functional urinal, which have recently been fixed with water supply.
Meanwhile, a senior east corporation official said: "We have built 70 toilet blocks under the mission, so far, and have identified locations for 54 others. This is because we received the funds very late, toward the end of 2015."
He added that the corporation had received nearly Rs 40 crore in the first phase, of which Rs 10 crore has been spent building these toilets. Over the course of five years of the Mission (2014-19), the national Capital will receive Rs 360.01 crore.
The funds are meant for waste management, building toilet seats in slum clusters, toilet blocks in markets and public places, and dissemination of information about the Mission.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Toilet")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}