Mira Road : The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) spends Rs 34 lakh per month towards maintaining public toilets across the twin-city, thanks to an unexplained switch-over from the ‘No Profit, No-Loss’ format to an expenditure incurring one.
Apart from privately built toilets, there are around 162 public toilets in the region- most of them constructed under the MMRDA’s Nirmal Abhiyan. Notably, under the project Rs 36 crore had been allotted to the MBMC for the construction of toilet blocks at the rate of Rs 1 lakh per unit. Earlier, the public toilets were managed by organisations on a ‘No Profit, No Loss’ format and the MBMC’s role had been limited to provide space, water and electricity. However, for the past six months the MBMC has roped in private entity’s to maintain the 162 toilet blocks at a monthly payment of Rs 20,000 per block. This translates into an annual maintenance cost of a whooping Rs 3.5 crore.
Smelling corruption in the project, BJP corporator Madan Singh said “Despite coughing out such huge payments, several blocks lack hygiene. Moreover, some operators continue to levy charges for toilet usage. Another point of concern is the wasteful expenditure on maintenance of toilets which are hardly of use to the common public.”
It has been alleged that several toilet blocks have been built without much thought given to the location. Hence, many are located in places where they are not required especially in remote areas where there is a comparatively less footfall.
Echoing similar views, another corporator Anil Bhosale said, “With poor sanitation facilities, the MBMC is virtually flushing away tax payers money. I will raise the issue in the General Body meeting.”
“Earlier, the toilets operated on a pay-to-use system. However, taking into consideration the financial burden on users maintenance work was outsourced by paying fix monthly charges turning the service into free-to-use,” said a MBMC officer who also added that a team of nine engineers supported by sanitary staff carry out regular inspections.
Suresh Golani
