The Hindu 26.05.2017

MCC unlikely to meet ‘Swachh’ target on individual toilets

Lack of space for constructing toilets in households of beneficiaries is cited as reason for non-completion

The ‘Swachh’ target of constructing 425 individual toilets in the limits of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is unlikely to be achieved. Mysuru lost crucial marks in this parameter (individual toilets) since it failed to complete the construction in time, thus losing out in overall marks.

MCC authorities claim to have built 350 toilets so far and are finding it difficult to build the remaining 75 for a strange reason — lack of space in the households.

When MCC did a survey at households that lacked toilets, the house owners had expressed their readiness to have one. When the MCC authorities were ready to build them, lack of space was the hindrance.

Lack of space

This was confirmed to The Hindu by MCC Commissioner G. Jagadeesha, who is now planning to write to the Union Ministry of Urban Development and urge it to consider 350 toilets as the target. “Where can we build toilets when there is no space in their households?” he asked.

The beneficiaries had given their consent for the toilets and accordingly the list was prepared for construction.

“The technical problem is that there is no space in their homes for the toilets,” he said. The Commissioner said Mysuru will surely get the marks set aside for individual toilets in the next survey since MCC has fulfilled its tasks.

CSR funds

To a question on how Mysuru can claim to be “open defecation-free” when some households still lack individual toilets, he said: “The parameters were different and cannot be compared. We have community toilets as well. Mysuru is already an open defecation-free city.”

MCC managed to get funds under Corporate Social Responsibility for the construction of individual toilets. “J.K. Tyres came forward to fund the construction of a few toilets while some were built by us,” he said.

Mr. Jagadeesha said he has prepared a proposal for presentation to the Directorate of Municipal Administration on the MCC’s plan to open a Project Implementation Unit for Swachh Bharat initiatives, including tenders.