'Why project to construct toilets in slum areas was shelved without nod?'

An under-construction toilet in Anand Nagar, Jogeshwari. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar

A week after BMC scrapped the project of constructing toilet seats in slum areas, standing committee members raised objections on Monday. The civic body has managed to construct only 56 per cent of the toilet target in three years since the start of the project. The standing committee chairman has ordered the administration to give a report on why the project has been scrapped. mid-day had reported the issue in an exclusive story on November 24.

Under the project, sanctioned in January 2019, the BMC was to build/reconstruct 22,774 toilet seats within a year. As per the plan, the civic body decided to reconstruct 14,173 toilet seats and build another 6,071. A total amount of Rs 422 crore was sanctioned for the project. However, following the construction of 12,809 toilet seats, the project was scrapped.

Leader of Opposition Ravi Raja raised the issue while discussing the proposal. He said, "The project was introduced following a detailed survey and discussion with corporators. The civic body started work on the project after getting the standing committee's permission but it was scrapped without informing us. This is not only defaming the committee but also a set back for the people for whom the project was meant."

An under-construction toilet in Anand Nagar, Jogeshwari. File pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Rais Shaikh, group leader of the Samajwadi Party, also objected to the scrapping of the project. "The project was planned in a way so that the benefits reach the people. Many officials worked on it, but it was suddenly scrapped without informing the standing committee."

"The corporation should work on not only providing toilets in slums but sewage lines as well. The septic tanks are old and are not cleaned on a regular basis. There are not enough long pipes that would reach the toilets inside slums. There are also lots of issues with community-based organisations that run toilets," said Rajul Patel, chairperson of the health committee and member of the standing committee.

Prabhakar Shinde, group leader of the BJP, said, "The administration had assured that they would include the under-construction toilets in the project and now it has been scrapped."

Chairman of the committee Yashwant Jadhav ordered a detailed report on why the project has been shelved. He also asked for information on organisations that run community toilets. P Velarasu, additional commissioner, told the committee that the administration would provide the information in the next meeting.