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Public Health / Sanitation

More public toilets to be handed over to community user groups

Wednesday, 20 November 2013 05:36 administrator
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The Hindu            20.11.2013 

More public toilets to be handed over to community user groups

Special Correspondent

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation is taking steps to hand over more public toilets to community user groups for maintenance as the model already implemented in the city has been successful, said Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani here on Tuesday.

Of the 383 public toilets in the city, about 137 are being maintained by community user groups facilitated and supported by voluntary organisations such as Gramalaya, SCOPE, and SEVAI. The Alaigal women’s group promoted by the Gramalaya was maintaining about 67 toilets and the rest are being maintained by groups supported by SCOPE and SEVAI. The Tiruchi model has been appreciated at the national level, Mr. Thandapani said speaking at a meeting at the Corporation organised in connection with the World Toilet Day on Tuesday.

Mr. Thandapani said posters and pamphlets on the importance of usage and proper maintenance of toilets were sent to all 76 Corporation and private schools in the city. Schools were also asked to administer a pledge to students affirming their commitment to the use and maintenance of toilets on the occasion of World Toilets Day.

Mayor A. Jaya, who presented prizes to 12 best performing women’s user groups for maintenance of public toilets in the city, pointed out that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has taken up an initiative to make the State open-defecation free by 2015. The civic body was working towards ridding the city off open defecation.

Representatives of voluntary organisations and representatives women’s user groups attended the meeting.

 

Public toilets get a clean look

Wednesday, 20 November 2013 05:28 administrator
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The Hindu            20.11.2013 

Public toilets get a clean look

S.A.S. Sait, Municipal Chairman in-charge, inspecting the public toilet in new bus stand in Pudukottai on Tuesday.
S.A.S. Sait, Municipal Chairman in-charge, inspecting the public toilet in new bus stand in Pudukottai on Tuesday.

Officials of Pudukottai municipality cleaned 31 public toilets and 18 toilets in municipal schools as part of the World Toilet Day observance here on Tuesday. Separate teams were constituted for the purpose.

One of the teams led by S. A. S. Sait, Municipal Chairman (in-charge) and J. Subramanian, Commissioner (in-charge), inspected the public toilets opposite the platform meant for Tiruchi-bound buses in the new bus stand.

Besides cleaning public toilets, the officials also replaced old buckets and mugs. Taps, water tanks, and pipe lines were also repaired. Mr. Subramanian said that Pudukottai municipality has only recently renovated these toilets from the special funds allotted by the State government in connection with its centenary celebrations.

 

Baby toilets distributed to avoid open defecation

Tuesday, 19 November 2013 10:18 administrator
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The Times of India             19.11.2013

Baby toilets distributed to avoid open defecation

TRICHY: If habits die hard, then good habits must be inculcated in kids from impressionable ages. This was the thinking behind the distribution of baby toilets made of plastic to 65 people in the first phase of the scheme, said Trichy Corporation mayor A Jaya.

Distributing the baby toilets to the parents at the corporation office, Jaya said this was part of the government's commitment to make the state open defecation-free by 2015. In the rural areas, the government was implementing a host of measures to underline hygiene education for effective behaviour change under the total sanitation campaign (TSC), but it was the first time baby toilets were distributed in the city.

"In the corporation and municipal limits, as many as 30% of the people still defecate in the open and at the least the children from the stage of infants must be taught against defecating in the open. Hence, the scheme is introduced by the state government," said V P Thandapani, corporation commissioner.

Known as 'mini-toilets' the portable plastic pieces would be provided in higher number to cover all those who needed them, said Dhandapani. "This is to inculcate the habit of using the toilets at home, so that they do not think of defecating in the open," he explained. Research proves that the children could be brought to such a good habit within a matter of a week, he further said.

 
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