Maharashtra orders probe into NGO after its report on poor state of Mumbai’s public toilets
Praja Foundation had said in May that there is only one public toilet seat for every 752 men and 1,820 women in the city.
Shiv Sena MLA and Maharashtra Cabinet minister Uday Samant on Monday said the state government will investigate the “motives” of the non-profit organisation Praja Foundation, which released a report in May highlighting the poor conditions of public and community toilets in Mumbai, The Indian Express reported.
In its report, Praja Foundation had said that there is only one public toilet seat for every 752 men and 1,820 women residents of Mumbai. This is much below the guidelines under the Swachh Bharat Mission, which recommends that there should be at least one public toilet seat for every 100 to 400 men and 100 to 200 women.
Based on data received through Right to Information applications, the non-profit also highlighted that there is only one community toilet seat for every 86 men and 81 women.
A community toilet is a shared facility meant for a defined group of residents or a settlement.
The Swachh Bharat Mission norms prescribe one toilet for 35 men and 25 women, respectively.
On Monday, Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Surve, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Raj Todsam and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Rohit Pawar raised questions in the Maharashtra Assembly based on the Praja Foundation’s report.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Mumbai has one toilet seat for every 46 men and 38 women.
Milind Mhaske, the chief executive officer of Praja Foundation, told Scroll on Tuesday that the organisation was yet to receive a formal request or communication from the government regarding the data mentioned during the Assembly session.
“Praja remains committed to collaborate with the government to improve quality of life across our cities,” added Mhaske.
Samant had claimed on Monday that the Praja Foundation’s report was “not accurate”.
“This NGO has brought out a report on availability of toilets in Mumbai,” the minister was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “The data given in the report is not accurate. In such cases, it leads to the defamation of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.”
He said the state government needs to “probe into the motives of the Praja Foundation behind doing such reports”.
