The Hindu             21.11.2013 

Civic body to crack the whip on those urinating in open places

Special Correspondent

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation will strictly enforce the ban on urinating in open places inside the Central Bus Stand and impose penalties on those violating the rule, Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani said.

In February 2012, the then Commissioner K. Veera Raghava Rao had announced that the Corporation will impose a penalty of Rs.100 on persons found urinating in open places inside the bus stand. However, the ban was hardly enforced after his transfer. In a press release issued after an inspection of the bus stand along with Mayor A. Jaya here on Wednesday, Mr. Thandapani said the penalty would be imposed on violators and receipts issued on the spot. However, he did not specify the fine amount. Six public toilets, including three pay and use ones, are available at the bus stand.

The Corporation, he said, would provide additional urinals at important places across the city to prevent people urinating on the roadsides. Ms. Jaya inspected the site for the establishment of a ‘Namma Toilet,’ sanctioned at a cost of Rs.13.50 lakh, and the construction of a watchtower at the Central Bus Stand. She instructed officials to provide information about places of tourist interest at the watchtower.

The Hindu             21.11.2013

Erode Corpn. identifies nine locations for ‘Namma toilets’

Special Correspondent

Ill-effects of open-air defecation explained

The Corporation has identified nine locations to install user-friendly ‘Namma toilets’. The tender process would be initiated soon, Corporation Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi said. The identified locations are ideally suited for the toilets, she said.

Only the basement would be constructed with concrete and steel.

The structure would be made of fibre-reinforced polymer material with proper ventilation. These state-of-art toilets would be installed at Soolai, Periyar Nagar (near E Block), Ayapadi, near Jeeva shed, Kothukaranpudur, Perumalmalai, Solar Nagar Suthanthrapuram, Veerapannaipudur, and Kumaran Nagar.

At each toilet block, there would be six toilets, including one for the differently-abled. There would be dustbins, mirror, hand wash and incinerators for each toilet. Each toilet block would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 20 lakh, Executive Engineer K. Arumugam said.

The State Government earlier announced it would build ‘Namma toilets’ at 385 locations across the State to provide safe sanitation to the people. Such toilets have so far been constructed in Tambaram, Tiruchi, Ooty and Coimbatore.

Solar system

The lighting is based on solar system, with sensors connected to the lighting system such that they automatically switch off when the user leaves. It is corrosion-free and has digesters to process waste and release it into the existing sewage network.

The nine ‘Namma toilets' would be an addition to the existing 245 public toilets in the 60 wards that were cleaned on Tuesday to mark the World Toilet Day. All school toilets were also cleaned, officials said.

The civic body had created awareness about the day through banners and posters at vantage points including bus stand. At prayer time, the message of hygiene was delivered to the students.

The ill-effects of open-air defecation was explained. Damaged taps and bulbs were cleaned and bushes were cleared, officials said.