Court slams Delhi civic body over state of toilets

New Delhi -- Coming down harshly on the capital's government, Delhi High Court Friday said that if most of the existing public toilets in the capital were not made usable within three days, the civic body chief would be made to give an explanation in court.

While hearing a public suit filed by Advocate Ashok Agrawal on behalf of NGO Social Jurist, a division bench of Justices Swatanter Kumar and H.R. Malhotra said: "If the direction to provide hygienic and clean toilets to the public in the capital is not complied with, contempt notice would be served on the commissioner Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and vice chairman of New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC)."

The court observed that it was the basic duty of the authorities to provide clean toilets to the public. It also said that people were seeking direction of the court through public suits to assert their rights as the authorities had failed to perform their duties.

It ordered the civic authorities to remove garbage bins from the entrance of schools, which it said, were hazardous to the health of students.

"We direct the authorities to initiate immediate steps to remove the garbage bins from the entrance of schools. The MCD and NDMC should also ensure that the garbage is not scattered at the entrance of the schools," said the order.

It asked the court committee comprising Bar Council president A.S. Chandihoke and Ashok Agrawal to visit the zones - Rohini, Karol Bagh, Sahadara and Civil Lines - to verify the repair works, which had been claimed by the municipal authorities in their submissions.

Adjourning the matter till Feb 6, the court said: "Apart from paid toilets, the authorities should ensure cleanliness in public toilets for the benefit of the millions of people (of the capital)."

The high court had directed the Delhi government to form a committee headed by the state chief secretary with representatives from the municipal bodies for providing disabled-friendly and hygienic toilets in the capital.

The authorities should take steps to construct more toilets in various parts of the capital in accordance with the density of population in the locality, directed the court.

The court committee submitted that the capital had 3,192 urinals, out of which only 132 had facilities for women.

"There is a failure on the part of the MCD to provide adequate number of well maintained urinals for women in every zone. It is violation of fundamental rights and human rights of women guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution," said the report.