Govt to unveil sanitation policy, build more toilets

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the government would soon announce a sanitation policy and build public toilets in Bangalore in proportion to the City’s population.

He was replying to a question by Shivajinagar MLA R Roshan Baig (Congress) who said that were only 504 public toilets in the City, while the requirement is not less than 5,000. “Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit has provided clean toilets. When Delhi can do it, why not a City of IT/BT fame like Bangalore have such facility?” Baig asked.

Siddaramaiah said that while the BBMP’s south zone has 85 toilets, private contractors are maintaining 60 toilets. In Dasarahalli zone, the BBMP has not built even a single toilet, while two toilets are run by contractors.

In the Legislative Council, Leader of the House S R Patil said the government will provide toilets, drinking water and other necessary infrastructure facilities at Cubbon Park and Lalbagh.

Replying to Doddarangegowda (BJP), the minister said the government will provide necessary tourist infrastructure in these two parks. Doddarangegowda said the existing toilets were insufficient at the two parks, which attract over 10,000 people each daily.

Siddaramaiah said that BMRCL will have to bear an additional expenditure of Rs 145 crore for realigning the rail route on Bannerghatta Road for excluding the Jayadeva Hospital premises from its plan.

Replying to K Gopalaiah (JD-S) in the Assembly, the chief minister said the new Metro alignment will take the land opposite to Jayadeva hospital. People have no problems with regard to the new alignment. BMRCL will have to bear an additional expense of Rs 145 crore to pay compensation to land losers, he added.