The court also pulled up the corporations for not even giving gloves to their cleaning staff who clean the toilets.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that it's "ridiculous" that despite launch of 'swachh bharat' campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, municipal corporations are not following it as public toilets being operated and managed by them were in a "pathetic condition".
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva made the observations while hearing a PIL filed by advocate Ashok Aggarwal alleging failure on the part of civic agencies to construct more number of toilets, especially for women, in the city.
"What is ridiculous is that we have swachh bharat campaign but you (MCDs) do not follow it. That is one good thing that you should follow," the court said. It directed the corporations to "at least take note of the pathetic condition of toilets operated and managed by them" and to "ensure adequate staff and equipment were provided to them so the toilets are cleaned periodically".
The court also pulled up the corporations for not even giving gloves to their cleaning staff who clean the toilets, saying "if you do this to your own staff, what would you do to the general public?" The remarks were made by the bench after it perused the pictures and affidavit filed on behalf of Aggarwal by advocate Khagesh Jha who told the court that over 50,000 families in the national capital do not have access to proper public toilets.
The bench also remarked that Delhi has become a "littering dump" and questioned whether it is the court's job or that of the government and corporations to keep the city clean. The court had earlier directed the municipal corporations and the Cantonment Board to come out with a concrete proposal and clear-cut time schedule for providing better sanitation in the national capital.
It had also directed them as well as Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to earmark zones where they can build proper sanitation facilities. Prior to that, the court had noted that the condition of public toilets in Delhi, whether they are provided by the three municipal corporations or the New Delhi Municipal Council or the Cantonment Board, are largely in a deplorable condition.
Also Read: PM Narendra Modi appreciates Salman Khan for his work towards Swacch Bharat Abhiyan
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