Bhopal: Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) claim to have built 143 additional toilets as part of Swachh Bharat Mission, only exists on papers, alleges an RTI activist. No account of Rs 23 lakh spent on ‘construction’ of toilets which actually do not exist.
Responding to an RTI query filed by activist Ajay Patidar, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that 143 additional toilets in the households were constructed under Swachh Bharat mission in over four years (2014- 2019). The civic body had body stated that three additional toilets in household in wards of a few zones were constructed since 2014.
Nearly Rs 23 lakh were spent on construction of these toilets, around Rs 16500 on each, said Patidar citing the figures provided by civic authorities. The activist challenging BMC claim Patidar alleged that additional toilets as claimed by civic body do not exist in reality.
He informed that form is provided on the website of the Union government and PMO and whenever a toilet has to be constructed under Swachh Bharat mission, permission has to be sought. However, BMC flouted the rule and went on to build extra toilets, though on papers only, in order to claim the fund sanctioned.
As per BMC, extra toilets were built by several wards under the seven zones including 1, 3, 6, 7, 16, 18 and 19. But in reality, no construction was taken up and the amount sanctioned was embezzled, alleged the activist. BMC deputy commissioner, Harish Gupta, when contacted said that corporation has not received any complaint in this regard and assured to kook into the matter if any such complaint comes up.
