Chennai Corporation identifies locations for e-toilets

Chennai: In the wake of Chennai Corporation gearing up to install 1,400 new bio-toilets in the capital city, the civic officials have begun the enumeration process to identify locations where sanitation is an issue due to open defecation.

Congested areas, areas of public congregation and slum pockets are likely to benefit from the three-year scheme and this will reduce the number of public complaints related to the maintenance of toilets in Chennai, say corporation insiders.

Corporation officials admit that they have found a solution to the common problems in an unmanned mobile and e-toilets, which are maintained automatically.

The e-toilets have been programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage. Eram Scientific Solutions Pvt. Ltd, which is handling the operation for installing the e-toilets in Chennai have also been asked to programme the e-toilets so that the platform is washed after 5 or 10 persons use it, a senior official told Deccan Chronicle.

Corporation officials also said that they would soon employ attendants on regular shifts to keep a check on maintenance of the toilets. About 300 e-toilets and mobile toilets are already functional in Chennai of which 220 are e-toilets.

E-toilets are seen as a smart option in resolving the sanitation issues faced in Chennai. Currently, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of e-toilets in the country and efforts are on to make the concept a success by overcoming the teething problems, corporation sources said.

“E-toilets are designed to integrate the full-cycle approach in providing sustainable sanitation through the convergence of electronics, mechanical applications, web-mobile technologies which help in controlling entry, usage, cleaning, exit and remote monitoring capabilities.

The door of the e-toilet opens with the insertion of coins of one rupee and two rupee denominations, following which a light is switched on and a person is guided about the operational aspects through audio commands,” explained S. Narayanaswami, director of the e-toilets project, Chennai.