Vasai toilet debacle: Human rights body pulls up VVCMC

VVCMC officials installed iron doors at the toilets after a series of mid-day reports highlighting the plight of the residents, last week. Pics/Hanif Patel

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) came down heavily on the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) over the poor condition of the public toilets at Sant Jalaram Bapu Nagar chawl. After mid-day highlighted the plight of the chawl residents, especially women, MSHRC took suo motu cognisance and filed a case. During a hearing on Friday, civic officials said that they have filed a case against unknown people for stealing the doors.

Meanwhile, the civic body has installed new iron doors on the toilets, which had been left without any cover, water or electricity connection for six months. mid-day, in a series of reports in January, highlighted how these nine toilets, built by the civic body for the chawl residents, did not have doors.

The women had told mid-day that they were forced to use the toilet only before sunrise or after sunset, in the dark. They said that the close proximity of the railway tracks meant that they did not have much privacy even then. Pointing at the drug addicts in the area, they had claimed it was them who stole the doors.

Deputy Engineer Eknath Thakare, along with water and sewage department officials, represented the civic body at the MSHRC office near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on Friday. The case was heard by MSHRC Chairperson Justice K K Tated (retired) and Honourable Member M A Sayeed.

The MSHRC, taking note of the report, pointed out that it was a serious issue as women were not being able to access these toilets and directed the VVCMC to depute a security guard at the spot to ensure doors and other accessories such as light bulbs, water pipes, etc., are not stolen. They also questioned why no action was taken despite complaints from the citizens.

Responding to this, Thakare said, "We had installed doors and other accessories in June last year, but these were stolen. We suspect that the drug addicts who frequent the area are behind it. We have already registered an FIR with the Manikpur police against unknown people for stealing the lights, doors, pipes and other accessories installed at the toilet."

Also Read: We can only use the toilets before dawn or after sunset, say Vasai residents

The human rights body also told the VVCMC that if they were unable to maintain these toilets, they should consider giving the same to charitable trusts or NGOs or outsource the help required to keep these toilets in shape. As civic officials failed to answer its query about how many people were assigned to ensure cleanliness of these toilets, the human rights court directed VVCMC to present a person who has all relevant knowledge at the next hearing.

Justice Tated also asked civic officials to submit before it photos of the doors and lights and other fixtures installed by the civic body, during the next hearing. Civic officials told the MSHRC that they were in the process of constructing more toilets in the area apart from a vachanalaya (library) and added that they were beautifying the entire chawl area.