Public toilet facility to be free for slum dwellers

LUCKNOW: In order to declare Lucknow an open defecation free (ODF) city, the LMC has decided to make public toilet facility free for people living in the slums. For others, there will be a provision of monthly pass – families will be charged ₹125 each (or ₹25 per person).

As public toilets in most of the city areas have been built on public private partnership (PPP) basis, private parties who have pumped in money need something for maintenance of these toilets.

Toilet operators have agreed to give some relaxation to poor

› Free facility cannot be given to all. It could be granted only in exceptional cases for those who are very poor and cannot afford to pay at all. After all, we have to get the city ODF before October 2 and not many days are left for the work

INDRAMANI TRIPATHI, municipal commissioner

people but refused rebate for others who can pay for sanitation.

“Free facility cannot be given to all. It can be granted in exceptional cases to those who are very poor and cannot afford to pay at all. After all we have to get the city ODF before October 2 and not many days are left for the work,” said municipal commissioner Indramani Tripathi.

“We are conducting drives in all the 114 areas, which the LMC has identified as open defecation zones. The civic staff is chasing away hundreds of people from open places and now slum dwellers are getting used to using toilets. The drives will continue till people start using public toilets in their area,” he said.

LMC is also trying to develop leaders within localities who will create awareness about sanitation in slum areas. “They would be developed to motivate people to use toilets so that everyone remains healthy,” added Tripathi.

One of the private toilet owners said, “How will the toilets remain neat and clean for use of people if money is not charged for services.

Monthly pass of ₹125 for a family or ₹25 per individual is not expensive. If anyone has no money at all, then too we are ready to help them. But such people could be counted on fingertips.”