After taking a call to scrap all e-toilets that were installed in public places across Mysuru, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has now come out with a plan to build public toilets in almost every ward. But, the people in the vicinity where e-toilets were built and where public toilets have been proposed are objecting to the choice of places citing unhygienic conditions, stink and nuisance caused by such facilities.
Poor maintenance, complaints from the public, damage to e-toilets and theft of ₹5 coins inserted for using them are among the key reasons for their closure. The wastewater from e-toilets spilled onto streets, creating unhygienic conditions for people. Water shortage was another reason besides lack of users owing to the miserable condition of the e-toilets.
Each e-toilet was built at a cost of ₹8 lakh. Now, all 26 of them will be removed and treated as scrap. Local people say that the facility would not have been scrapped If the MCC had maintained them properly.
Mayor (acting) Sunanda Palanetra cited public complaints, nuisance caused by some people and damage to the facility as among the reasons for their closure. The MCC used to fill up water tanks at e-toilets, but they could not be properly used barring in some places, especially in commercial areas and tourist sites.
“Not all of them will be scrapped. Those in good condition will be retained by the MCC and made use whenever public events take place,” she said.
The Mayor acknowledged the opposition to building public toilets in all wards. “People don’t want toilets close to their homes. We are facing space constraints. We have funds for constructing toilets, but are unable to do so owing to opposition to the project. Somehow, one toilet was built at Aravinda Nagar, which is being properly used. Such toilets are needed for the use of pourakarmikas, who will be cleaning the city and collecting solid wastes,” she explained.
Three toilets have been constructed at Kuduremala, Metagalli and near Bengaluru Road, she said.
“One toilet complex is being built at a cost of ₹48 lakh on the MCC site in front of Mysuru zoo. This will be of help to tourists. Another one is in the Mysuru palace premises. The pay-and-use toilets are functioning properly. Therefore, we are planning to have such pay-and-use toilets so that they are maintained properly,” she said.
However, activist Dr. Bhamy V Shenoy questioned the MCC’s decision to close all e-toilets. “Why are the city’s NGOs quiet on this important issue of closing down all e-toilets after spending more than ₹1.7 crores? The NGOs should have raised questions. I hope even at this stage, NGOs will take this to a logical conclusion, which is to find out why the project failed and which officials are responsible. Now, it is for activists like us to take this forward,” he said.
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