Thiruvananthapuram: Inadequate and unhygienic public comfort stations continue to be the reeling issue of the state capital. Thiruvananthapuram being the largest Municipal Corporation in the state, which covers 100 wards, has taken minimal efforts to increase the number and hygienic condition of public comfort stations.
Replying to an RTI application submitted by Ajay S Kumar, a resident of the state capital, the civic authorities have admitted that there are only 20 public comfort stations under the Corporation. Many of the comfort stations are in real bad shape and the unhygienic condition often turn off public from using the amenity.
Federation of Residents' Association Trivandrum (FRAT) general secretary J Moses said that the association has taken up the issue many times with the Corporation and district health authorities in the past.
"This is one of the basic needs of any city and it's the responsibility of the authorities to address the issue. We even submitted a project report to the Corporation and the Regional Medical Office. We need permanent facilities at all busy spots. Currently, the civic body provides mobile toilet facility at some of the spots which is not very convenient all the time," said Mr Moses.
When contacted Mayor V.K. Prasanth said that the project to renovate and reconstruct the existing public comfort stations is being planned under the Smart City initiative.
"We have noticed the issue and more facilities would be made available for the public. We have plans to tie up with the petrol bunks in the state capital and make available better toilet facilities for the public," said Mr Prasanth.
An official said that under the Smart City initiative three of the public comfort stations would be reconstructed. "We will be improving the conditions of all other comfort stations. Three of them are in very bad shape," said the official.
