Toilet paper is not in Indian culture: BMC

Indians do not have the mentality to use toilet paper is what the BMC report reads, which will be presented today in the house. This report comes as a response to the query posted by Sushma Salunkhe, Congress corporator from A ward (Fort, parts of Dock Area, Marine Drive, Lokmanya Tilak Marg and Colaba) in March this year.

Salunkhe had suggested to the house that since Mumbai has severe water crisis, the BMC should create awareness about using toilet paper instead of water. Taking this into consideration, the BMC administration was asked to prepare a report on its take.

The report, mid-day has a copy of this, reads, "In Indian culture it will be difficult to make people use toilet paper and that mentality doesn't exist too."

The report further claims that there is no mechanism to dispose off the used toilet papers, which has not gone down well with Rais Shaikh group leader of Samajwadi Party in the BMC and former Congress Corporator Vinod Sekhar, who is Salunkhe's husband.

Shaikh questioned that if there is no mechanism to dispose off the used toilet papers, are the hotels and offices mixing those with regular garbage. He added that he would be writing to the commissioner for a response. Sekhar on the other hand said that he would oppose the BMC's report in the house.

Another Congress corporator Anita Yadav had also supported Salunkhe in this.