Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) denies women right to pee

It’s a setback to the right-to-pee campaign.

After the municipal corporation said it would build 50 toilets for women in 2013-14, it doesn’t seem likely that it would fulfill its promise.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had made the same promise for 2012-13 and it had Rs75-lakh provision for it.

It’s a few weeks away for the fiscal to end and still there are no toilets for women. BMC’s reason: there is no space.

DNA reported on March 8 that the BMC was planning to build toilets for women with help from NGOs. But, this seems to be just a gimmick as the BMC was under pressure by women organisations spearheading the right-to-pee campaign.

A circular issued by solid waste management department on January 24 said that the BMC had sought a list of sites where toilets could be built for women.

The ward officers were told to submit details within 15 days. But, the response was poor and the officials said there was no space available for toilets.

The BMC is likely to face the same hurdle in the next fiscal.

Municipal authorities have admitted that they won’t be able to fulfill the promise this financial year but will focus on the next fiscal.

“Not that we did not get a response to the list of locations. But they were very few. Due to inadequate space, the toilets can’t be built now. We are looking forward to mend things in 2013-14. We will see to it that funds for 2012-13 don’t lapse,” said additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani.

The core committee members of 30 NGOs, which had unanimously launched a campaign demanding free, safe and adequate toilets, said they were not surprised by the BMC’s U-turn.
They have now pinned their hopes on women’s policy which was discussed by the state government recently.

“Unlike the provisions made by the BMC, the government’s policy discusses the issue in detail. We are hopeful of results,” said Supriya Sonar, a member of CORO.          

Urban planning experts said that the women campaigners need to direct their efforts towards formulating recommendation in BMC’s development control regulations. “All our efforts should be intended at improving the standard of services provided. Safety of women must be given importance. Toilets should be built at safer places,” said architect Pankaj Joshi, executive director of urban design research institute.

@dna.eknath