Visit public toilets, report status, CM directs shelter board CEO
it (DUSIB) has been constantly getting negative publicity. The situation of public toilets is deteriorating, especially since the time they were made free and open for 24 hours.
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
NEW DELHI: Miffed over the poor condition of public toilets in the national capital, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday directed the CEO of Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to visit five community toilets every morning for seven days and file a status report.
Kejriwal, who is also the chairperson of DUSIB, asked the Board’s CEO Shurbir Singh to visit community toilets at 6am every day starting from Sunday till February 17. “The CEO will be accompanied by representatives of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). These will be surprise visits. Locations of toilets will be decided by DCW every day. Video reports will be made which will be sent to all DUSIB members,” a statement from the government read.
Apart from DCW officials, a local MLA and few board members will also accompany the CEO during the surprise checks. Officials said that the chief minister set 6 am as the time of visit as it is the peak time when toilets see maximum rush.
The report has to be ready by February 17, and a copy of it has to be sent to each Board member, along with videos, by noon on February 20.
The directive was issued by Kejriwal in an emergency Board meeting called by him following complaints from MLAS and others over shortage of water and power at community toilets.
Sources said the chief minister and the Board members expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the CEO over the last few months.
“The Board was of the view that DUSIB got huge appreciation earlier. But now it has been constantly getting negative publicity. The situation of public toilets is deteriorating, especially since the time they have been made free and open for 24 hours,” a government spokesperson said.
Sources said that Kejriwal was miffed with the DUSIB CEO for not preparing well before making the toilets free and open for 24 hours.
DUSIB CEO, however, said that the directive to make toilets free and open 24 hours from January 1 came from the government. “Ever since the step has been implemented by us, the number of users has increased significantly. Yet, our officials continue to efficiently maintain the 600 community toilets that we have across Delhi,” he said.
“I will try to allay the CM’S concerns by going on ground and checking the status. If an MLA is getting complaints about any toilet, DUSIB is committed to address it,” Singh said.