BBMP takes up maintenance of toilets after two years

BENGALURU: Raising concerns over the condition of community toilets in at least 12 localities such as Ambedkar Nagar, Nagavara and Kalasipalya, based on a report done by Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), Hasiru Dala and Radio Active, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finally decided to step in, after two years, to maintain the toilets for the communities.

Nalini Shekar, co-founder of Hasiru Dala, has been working closely with waste pickers in slum areas. “These are migrant workers and their landowners don’t provide toilets to them. So they go to the bushes to defecate,” she says adding that travellers also depend on community toilets and find it difficult to use them as they are not well maintained and lack basic amenities.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has provided `5.81 crore for the project after slum dwellers were reported to be suffering from health issues and engaging in open defecation. Joint commissioner (Health/SWM), BBMP, Sarfaraz Khan says they are expecting to receive about `9 crore from the corporation after talks with commissioner Manjunath Prasad. With the funds received, the work is expected to start in a month’s time, according to Sarfaraz. “It may take three months to complete setting up toilets in localities,” he says. The other community toilets in the city – Ambedkar Nagar, Benniganahalli, Kalasipalya, Dodmavalli, Tannery  Road, Anjanappa Garden, Chamundi Nagar, and Nagvara – require maintenance.
New toilets may come up in Gandhi Nagar, Shivaji Nagar and Jayanagar. “It took time to identify locations to set them as they need to be in an isolated space. We have a plan of action in place and we will take action soon,” he says.