While urban Maharashtra was declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) on October 2, and Mumbai bagged the title in 2016, residents and corporators have called it into question, considering the fact that the tag is in contrast to the ground reality, with open defecation persisting in the city. From Mankhurd in the eastern suburbs to Andheri in the western parts of Mumbai — people are still seen defecating in the open.

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Meher Moshin Haider, a Congress corporator from Andheri (West), had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an inquiry into the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) claim of Mumbai achieving the ODF status.

Haider alleged that the evaluation carried out by the Quality Council of India (QCI), a government regulator, was faulty. She said that there is a scarcity of toilet sheets in her ward and slum dwellers still go outside to attend to nature's call.

The QCI replied to Haider stating that the ODF certification stood only for six months and required re-evaluation thereafter. Thus the onus rests with the local administration or elected body to maintain the status by way of continuous monitoring.

The problem of open defecation does not prevail in one or two areas alone, but across the city. One can see people defecating in the open in areas like Mankhurd, Hanuman Nagar in Andheri, Gazdarband Nullah in Mahim, Shanti Nagar in Wadala, Mahim railway tracks, Antop Hill, Mahim Causeway and Somaiya Ground in Sion.

Another Congress corporator, Ashraf Azmi from Kurla in L ward, said, "In the annual budget of 2017-18, 118 open defecation spots have been identified across Mumbai." He added that this is one more than the 117 such spots identified in the city in 2016-17.

A senior civic official, attached to Swach Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan said, "A ward-wise action plan is being implemented to eliminate open defecation in such places." The official added that as per the action plan, the BMC has been providing individual and community toilets.

The BMC claims that several measures on its part achieved the status of ODF.

"There has been a provision since the annual budget of 2016-17 that the BMC would directly deposit to the beneficiary's bank account a grant of Rs 4,000 received from the central government, Rs 1,000 received from state government, and the corporation had proposed to deposit Rs 2,000 to all the eligible beneficiaries of individual toilets," said the official. He added that eight new sanitation facilities have been proposed to be developed, especially for women, at a total cost of Rs 2.88 crore.

According to the BMC, a city or ward can be declared ODF if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open. In addition, necessary infrastructure and regulatory conditions are to be achieved, which includes providing sanitation facilities within a distance of 500 metres to families engaging in OD.

As per data provided by the BMC, there are currently 8,415 toilets across Mumbai, in addition to the 4,000-plus new public toilets that are being constructed. The civic body also claims that there are 80,000 toilet sheets including in mobile toilets. However, residents as well as public representatives claim that half of these are not in working condition.

Fajilat Nadaf, a resident of Mankhurd said, "The public toilets are in a pathetic condition and even the doors are broken." He added that women have to be accompanied to prevent others from entering the toilet while it is in use.However, the measures have led to slight changes. "In the past one year, the BMC has managed to make some areas free of open defecation but the city is far from truly deserving the ODF status," said Haider. She added that the BMC administration needs to carry out an audit of old toilets. "Whenever we ask people in our ward to use community toilets, they have the same answer — that they are not in a condition to be used," said Haider.

Checklist for bagging the ODF title

  • A city or ward can be declared ODF if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.
  • Necessary infrastructure, sanitation facilities and regulatory conditions are to be achieved as well.

Claims

  • Urban Maharashtra was declared ODF on October 2.
  • Mumbai was declared ODF in 2016 which was revalidated in 2017 by the QCI.

Ground reality

  • In the annual budget of 2017-18, 118 open defecation spots have been identified across Mumbai.
  • Several areas like Mankhurd and Antop Hill are far from ODF

Action

  • The annual budget of 2016-17 made provisions for the BMC to deposit a grant of Rs 4,000 received from the Centre, Rs 1,000 received from the State, and the corporation proposed to deposit Rs 2,000 to eligible beneficiaries of individual toilets.
  • Eight new facilities worth Rs 2.88 crore have been proposed as well.
  • A ward-wise plan is being implemented to eliminate OD