Mumbai: Family runs from pillar to post as 88-year-old woman seeks access to toilet

Susheela More’s son Ashok points to the razed toilet near their Mulund home. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Caught between government departments, an 88-year-old Mulund woman's need for easy access to a toilet has turned out to be a frustrating affair for her family members. Susheela More's kin built a loo near their home following permissions, but BMC told them to raze it after two months. They are now running from pillar to post to get the toilet reconstructed.

Due to her old age, Susheela finds it difficult to walk up to the public toilet in their area

Susheela lives at Ramakant Mhatre Chawl on Nahur Road in Mulund (W). Due to her old age, the octogenarian was finding it difficult to go to the public toilet, which is around 300 metres from her home, in the area. "I can't walk alone without support now, I need at least one person to give me support, so I told my son to see if we can have a toilet nearby our home." said Susheela.

The family applied for construction of a toilet under the Swachh Maharashtra Abhiyan and received permission from the state government on June 29, 2020. After they approached the BMC, the T-ward issued a demand note and demand permit October 2020, allowing the construction of the toilet on payment of '20,540.

"But soon after the construction of the toilet, we received a letter on November 24, 2020 that as the construction doesn't have any permission from the Buildings department it will be demolished if we don't destroy it. A reminder was sent on December 6, following which we demolished the structure on December 30 and approached the BMC again," said Susheela's son Ashok. "But now they aren't giving us permission, I don't know what to do now."

Local MNS leader Rajesh Chavhan slammed the BMC for forcing the family to raze the toilet. "There are so many illegal constructions around the chawl, but the assistant municipal commissioner pointed out a small issue of paperwork. This is outrageous."

"This wasn't an encroachment, the family had paid the money for construction, excavation for the trench line. We suspect some external pressure on BMC officials," he added.

Kishore Gandhi, assistant municipal commissioner of T-ward, told mid-day, "First and foremost thing, if a house is big enough people should construct it inside their house, which hasn't happened in this case. The toilet constructed is a bit away from her home, it is considered as an encroachment. That's why we followed procedure and demolished it. There is no problem if complainants construct the toilet inside house" he said.