Volunteers to keep an eye on open defecation : TOI

NEW DELHI: Embarrassing as it may be, civil defence personnel will keep a sharp eye out for people relieving themselves in the open in early in the mornings in east Delhi. When spotted, the specially hired sentinels will walk up to the offender and issue a fine, especially to those who are found defecating within 500 metres of a community toilet or who has a toilet in the house.

This penal action is part of an elaborate programme planned by East Delhi Municipal Corporation to achieve the lofty target of making the eastern part of the city — one of the world's most densely populated residential areas — free of open defecation by Gandhi Jayanti, October 2 this year. The Delhi Municipal Corporation Act empowers the civic body to collect fine from people found defecating in the open.

"We are hiring around 50 civil defence personnel to deploy at a dozen locations," said Mohanjeet Singh, EDMC commissioner.

Most of EDMC's 64 wards are home to migrant labour living in illegally constructed multi-storey houses that have a few common toilets, forcing many to relieve themselves in the open. But there are others too. "I have talked to many families that plead they go out because using their household toilet requires a lot of water when they do not even have water supply in their houses," said Brajesh Singh, additional commissioner.

The civic body claimed that 40 of its 64 wards are free of open defecation, the bane noticed just in 20 wards, including Mandawali, Vinod Nagar, Vishwas Nagar, Anand Vihar, Krishna Nagar, Shastri Park, Seemapuri, Trilokpuri and Karawal Nagar. "Railway tracks in these areas facilitate open defecation," explained an official. Brajesh Singh added that CCTV cameras would be installed here to deter early morning offenders.

Meanwhile, BS Vohra, president of East Delhi RWAs Joint Front, pointed out that many community toilets are in derelict condition. And though these are almost unusable, he added, people still have to pay Rs 2 to avail them. The corporation has 86 community toilets and 386 public toilets, though these are not adequate for a population of 40 lakh. Poor civic sense too is a problem. As an official complained, "Anti-social elements steal mugs placed in such facilities and sometimes even take away the water tap from the community toilets."

EDMC has assigned 64 officers the duty of inspecting the condition of public and community toilets in each of the 64 wards. They will rectify problems and ensure that toilets have doors and running water, and are regularly cleaned.

The union urban development ministry is keen to meet its target of free the entire country of people relieving themselves in the open by October 2, 2019, 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK