The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Pala municipal authorities to make the public toilet complexes under its ownership in working order.
Considering a petition by P. Pothen, a native of Pala, commission chairman Antony Dominic recently ordered the municipality to submit a report after implementing the directive within two months. The municipal secretary should ensure that the toilets are kept clean, he said.
The complainant had cited that the toilets in Pala town were not clean and hence would cause the spread of infectious diseases among the public.
Earlier, the municipal secretary had submitted to the SHRC that toilets under the municipality in all areas other than along River Road and near Lalam Bridge were being maintained on a regular basis. The toilet under the Ponkunnam bridge on Riverview Road and the toilet near the Lalam bridge have been temporarily closed due to damage caused by anti-social elements. Steps had been taken by the engineering department to repair these toilets, the official said.
The complainant, however, dismissed the claim of the municipality and pointed out that the report was incorrect. The commission said in its order that the municipality had the responsibility to protect toilets in a way that was beneficial to the public.
