Moving a step ahead towards government’s effort to make New Delhi open-defecation free, 1,206 community toilets were inaugurated in 36 jhuggi-jhopri clusters on Wednesday.
Chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, dedicated the toilets to the public from a dais, erected in an open field that is often used for open defecation at Deen Dayal Camp in Punjabi Bagh.
“By March, I believe no one in Delhi will have to resort to open defecation and people will live with dignity”, he said.
“The old toilet complex couldn’t cater to all of us. The new 60-seater complex will be a big relief,” said Rupa Devi, a resident who vowed not to defecate in the open again.
Two decades ago, in Raghubir Nagar jhuggi, a big complex was constructed around. A year ago, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) also provided a 14-seater mobile toilet, but many still find it convenient to go in the open. “It’s better to go in the open than queuing up outside the toilet during peak hours,” said Md Imran.
The national capital has approximately 17,000 community toilets across 700-odd slums where almost 15 lakh people stay in 3.14 lakh jhuggis. The government has constructed 11,790 toilets between 14 February 2015, and 31 July, 2017, and set a target of building at least 7,000 toilets by December.
