The State government can neither shut its eyes nor mouth to the issue of poorly maintained and insufficient number of public toilets in Bengaluru city, the High Court of Karnataka said as the government had not filed its response even though the court is hearing a PIL petition on the issue from the last three years.
The court also said that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had prepared its action-taken report in “undue haste, mechanical manner and without application of mind” in responding to the findings of the status of around 400 public toilets, made by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA).
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice M.G.S. Kamal made these observations while hearing a PIL petition filed in 2020 by Letzkit Foundation through which the court has been monitoring the conditions of the toilets and action taken by the BBMP after a survey of toilets conducted by the KSLSA on court’s direction.
Monotonous reply
After going through the action taken reports of the BBMP, the Bench found that the civic body had given monotonous reply with a standard remark stating “attended the issue, upgraded to hygienic condition” even for observations of the KSLSA that toilets are well maintained, and the issue raised by the KSLSA was not even related to cleanliness but with regard to repair of toilet doors, windows, latches, etc.
Taking serious exception to the BBMP’s action of merely cautioning an operator of public toilets for putting up cooking facility in one of the toilets and using it for living, the Bench questioned how the civic body could allow the operator to go scot-free for such a misuse of toilet that could have resulted in other forms of health hazard.
Fresh action plan
The Bench directed the BBMP to submit a fresh action-taken report based on the observations made by it and come out with remedial measures for maintaining toilets in good condition and for increasing the number of public toilets.
The Bench directed the BBMP to set up a committee, headed by the Commissioner, to address issues related to the public toilets on the lines of a direction issued by the Bombay High Court.
Chief Justice expresses concern about feeding dogs, birds at Cubbon Park entrance
Authorities will have to find alternative and designated place for feeding stray dogs and birds, Chief Justice said while narrating his personal apprehension about feeding dogs and birds at the entry gates of Cubbon Park opposite to the Vidhana Soudha.
The intention of feeding animals and birds may be good but it is likely to pose danger to other walkers, including school children who walk through Cubbon Park during morning hours to reach their schools, he pointed out during the hearing of a PIL petition on public toilets.
Many people, who come in their cars, bring foods and grains, feed the dogs and birds, and the security personnel look helpless to tackle this, he said, while asking the authorities to find a solution for the issue, which could cause health hazard.
