Build toilets in three months: HC to govt

Chennai: The public works department, which has been surveying all courts in Tamil Nadu to identify infrastructural requirements as directed by the Madras high court, has concluded that the 31 district court premises in the state need at least 320 new toilets. The study does not include Chennai city.
While Chennai region requires 57 toilets, Trichy needs 51 and Madurai region requires at least 210 toilets, it told the first bench which was hearing a PIL relating to the issue.
The PIL was filed by Vengai I Prakash who wanted the court to direct the authorities to ensure toilet facilities in court premises throughout Tamil Nadu and keep them in proper working condition. The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan had asked the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority (TNSLA) to study the issue and file a report listing inadequacies in various districts.
On Thursday, the bench was informed that the engineer-in-chief (buildings) and chief engineer (buildings) of public works department had instructed all executive engineers to inspect court premises in their jurisdiction, under the supervision of the respective principal district judges.
Citing the PWD report, the bench said considerable progress still remains to be made and added, "It is not merely a question of construction of toilets, but their continued maintenance." It then granted three more months to the PWD to show substantial progress.