Mumbai: Public toilets will get a scrubbing five times a day

Currently, there’s one public toilet seat per 752 males and 1,820 females

The BMC has decided to clean public and community toilets five times a day, just as it was the norm when the city was fighting COVID-19. The instructions were given to the Solid Waste Management department and the implementation plan is being discussed.

Dirty, stinking public toilets are a major problem for the city. Not only do they create serious health hazards, but they also become a nuisance to residents staying nearby. Though BMC, MHADA, and MMRDA have spent substantial funds to construct and repair the toilets, the maintenance has remained neglected.

To add to this, the toilet and user ratio has suffered. There is currently one public toilet seat per 752 males and 1,820 females, while the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) prescribes 1 toilet for 100-400 males and 100-200 females respectively. Based on the census slum population figures, there is currently one community toilet (built for slum pockets) seat per 42 males and 34 females, while the SBM prescribes one toilet for 35 males and 25 females respectively. "The BMC has decided to keep the toilets clean and sanitise them five times a day," Iqbal Singh Chahal, commissioner of the BMC, said.

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An officer from the SWM added, "We received the instructions and are working on it. Public and community toilets which are under community-based organisation (CBO) do not have issues of cleanliness, but a major chunk of toilets which were built by other authorities do not have any operators. We need to organise that part."

Supriya Sonar, an activist from the Right to Pee movement said, "We welcome the decision if that will be implemented, but who will do it? Does the BMC want the CBOs to do it? Who will bear the cost of electricity, water and manpower? The corporation should discuss it first with the operators." The slum residents pay around Rs 40 to Rs 60 per family per month to operators and they will not be ready to pay more, added Sonar.