MCDs innovate to keep toilets clean in schools

North Corpn to outsource, SDMC finds novel idea

The City’s civic bodies are gearing up to set the toilets at their primary schools in order following the Supreme Court direction to all the states to provide the basic facility in schools within six months.

While North Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to outsource maintenance work, its south district counterpart plans to install ‘e-toilets’ in all schools.

The apex court passed an order last week that schools in the country must be provided with toilets and drinking water within six months, as their absence violates the Right to Free and Compulsory Education of Children.

“Though all our schools have toilets, we admit that cleanliness is an issue at some schools. So we have decided to outsource sanitation and maintenance work to private service providers,” said North Corporation education committee chairperson Rekha Gupta.
Gupta said the issue has already been discussed with the commissioner, and a resolution will be placed before the education committee for approval soon.

She said the decision was taken keeping in view the limited number of safai karmacharis available in some 780 primary schools.  

Around four lakh students are estimated to be enrolled in these schools. “Most of the schools have one safai karmachari, irrespective of the number of students. The number vary from a few hundreds to over a thousand. It is impractical to expect one safai karmachari to maintain cleanliness in toilets, apart from cleaning the school,” said Gupta.

She said school principals have been given a contingency fund of Rs 50,000, which can also be used to hire extra safai karmacharis if needed.

E-toilets in schools

The South Corporation plans to install e-toilets in its schools. Education department officials said they have identified a model that has been successfully installed in Kerala schools.

“The model of e-toilets has been put on display at Kerala House. Education committee members have visited and seen the model. The e-toilets are automated, which require less space, apart from having self-cleaning facilities,” said SDMC education committee chairperson Satish Upadhayay.

“It also needs less water for cleaning. Such toilets will do away the concerns of maintenance,” said Upadhayay.

Upadhayay said the modalities of installation and how they will be financed are being worked out. “We may rope in NGOs to implement the project.”