BANGALORE: Public urination has been a menace in namma Bangalore for years now. There are two reasons for the same: Lack of decency and inadequate number of public toilets. There are a number of public toilets in the city, some pay to use, while others are free of cost. But what acts as a catalyst to the situation is the fact that most of these toilets are either badly maintained or are perpetually locked.A pedestrian on the condition of anonymity said, “Most of these toilets stink. The stench is so bad that it is difficult to step in. Upon drawing a comparison between the BBMP’s public toilets and the washrooms looked after other civic bodies, it is easy to say which one is bad — the BBMP’s. Despite the pourakarmikas doing their job, the area and its surroundings emanate a foul odour.The workers complain that their daily wages are not adequate and they are not even provided with necessary medical facilities. “Our working conditions are not hygienic at all. We have no medical facility and the money we get is not enough to foot the bills either,” said Parvathyamma, a pourakarmika. According to a BBMP official, the contract for the maintenance of the toilets was given to a private company, which was not doing its job.“Officials are soon going to float a tender for maintenance of public washrooms,” he said.Meanwhile, BBMP deputy commissioner (health), Y N Ramchandra Murthy informed City Express that of the many public toilets that fall under the purview of the BBMP, some will be put up for auctions as well. On enquiring about the budget allotted for the maintenance of these public toilets, neither the deputy commissioner nor other BBMP officials were willing to comment.
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