Public toilet users to be paid Re 1 in Ahmedabad

In an innovative way to eradicate practise of open defecation, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has announced 'use and get paid' scheme under which people will be paid Re 1 for using public toilets.

The civic body has turned around its 'pay and use' public toilets scheme to 'use and get paid' in its bid to keep the city clean and curb menace of open defecation. The novel approach was cleared by Standing Committee of the AMC recently.

Standing Committee Chairman Pravin Patel said the concept of 'get paid to use public toilet' will bring out desired results. "We have around 315 public toilets in the city. And we have identified some 120 areas where open defecation is practiced around the public toilet facility. Initially, users of public toilet will be paid in these areas," Patel said.

Earlier, the concept was 'pay and use' in public toilets, but now it will be 'use and get paid' for, he added. "The Standing committee has given clearance to the scheme and it will be implemented in next 8-10 days," AMC health department official Paresh Chaudhary said. 

Meanwhile, in-charge health officer of AMC, Bhavik Joshi said the civic body does not plan to pay every user, but it will identify people who defecate in open and sensitise them to use public toilets and reward them. According to Joshi, AMC has already identified around 1,200 such people in various parts of the city and the list will be revised at regular intervals.

There are 120 spots in the city where people defecate in open, he said, adding, AMC will provide lavatory facility in all such areas. He said open defecation was mostly seen in eastern part of the city along with Vadaj and Sabarmati areas near Sabarmati ashram and Gulbai Tekra area near. 

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