Poor maintenance leaves e-toilets unusable, Corpn blames pvt firm

 The Chennai Corporation had started installing e-toilets on major roads, public places and commercial establishments across the city in 2016 to prevent open defecation and urination. “The e-toilets in 

Royapuram zone are unusable due to the lack of water. People are not using them anymore,” said Sofia Bama Rani, an activist.

 “Unable to enter these toilets, some men are urinating in the open next to them. This has undermined the very purpose of installing e-toilets,” she added.

 Citing this, Sofia sent a petition to the Chennai Corporation urging it to remove the e-toilets that are in unusable condition. She added that the unhygienic state of e-toilets posed health hazards to the residents.

 Of the 1,245 public toilets maintained by the Chennai Corporation, more than 150 are e-toilets with a seating capacity of 290.

 “Customers who visit the wine shop in our area used to urinate in the open near a garbage bin for several years. The stench from there was unbearable. After several complaints to the Corporation, officials installed an e-toilet at the spot. For a few weeks, the customers used the facility. Now, due to lack of water and maintenance, they have returned to open urination. There is no use in installing a facility if the civic body fails to maintain it properly,” said Vimal Kumar, a resident of Kodambakkam.

 When asked about the poor maintenance of e-toilets, a Chennai Corporation official said that a private firm was entrusted with the maintenance. “Due to some reason, the private firm stopped maintaining the toilets. Steps have been taken to appoint private contractors to maintain them,” he claimed