HYDERABAD: It is unbelievable but true. There are over 1.51 lakh insanitary toilets and insufficient community sanitary toilets in urban areas of Telangana state.
Of the 1,65,318 insanitary toilets identified in six cities, 62 towns and nagara panchayats, some 9,680 insanitary toilets have been converted to sanitary toilets and 4,017 demolished.
Though there is need for construction of 331 community sanitary toilets, not one has been built by the government since the Prohibition and Elimination of Municipal Scavengers and Rehabilitation (PEMSR) Act 2013 came into force in February 2013.
As per the provisions of PEMSR Act of the central government, insanitary toilets have to be converted into sanitary toilets or demolished. Taking a serious view of the situation, the commissioner and director of municipal administration has directed all the municipal commissioners to take immediate steps to follow the Act and initiate immediate action in 15 to enable the CDMA to compile and submit a consolidated report to the state and central governments which are striving for Swachh Bharat.
Municipal officials told Express that notices had been served to 71,367 of the 1,65,318 households with insanitary toilets. Officials have been asked to issue notices to the remaining households asking them to build sanitary toilets.
Of the 331 community sanitary toilets that are required in ULBs, only 261 sites were found available for construction that may require Rs 22.68 crore.
To tap the funds, the ULBs have been asked to implement Swach Bharat to make them eligible for financial assistance for construction of community toilets. They need to send a detailed project report to enable the CDMA to consolidate and submit to the government.
The state government warned the municipal commissioners that if any lapses were found in the implementation of PEMSR Act, they would be penalised.