50 per cent wards to be open defecation-free: Corpn

MADURAI: Though the city corporation is getting ready to declare 56 out of the 100 wards open defecation-free, residents in those areas say that they undergo many hurdles to abide by the corporation dictate to keep the city clean.
Vaigai river banks are clustered with colonies, mostly of people living below the poverty line, and they had been using the banks of the river to relieve themselves.Public toilets have been established there, but using them is a big task for many, as some of the paid toilet managers fleece the users. Others remain under lock and key for several hours.
Areas, which come under the 56 wards include Kathamangalam, Alwarpuram, K K Nagar, Narimedu, Reserve Line, Chinna Anupanadi, Balarengapuram, Palanganatham, Perumal Teppakulam, Meenakshi Temple, Jadamuni Koil, Subramaniapuram, Thennagaram, Kovalan Nagar, Villapuram Pudu Nagar, Villapuram and Balarengapuram among others. They are to be declared open defecation free soon.
Alwarpuram and Madhichayam are situated in the heart of the city, which were one prone to open defecation. Many of the houses in the areas now have own toilets. But residents say that they still use the river bank during the nights, when there is no monitoring by the corporation staff. "It becomes really difficult to use the toilets during the festival season when thousands of outsiders turn up here," Kamatchi, a local resident, told TOI.
Though the corporation decided to declare the places open defecation free after conducting several surveys and undertakings obtained from teachers, residents in those areas say that there should be more free toilets, which are maintained regularly to enhance their use.
"Sellur is one of the places, which is in the list of 56 wards to be declared as free of open defecation by the corporation. But three free toilets in Keelathoppu are always kept locked," said Sekhar of Sellur.
Residents of Dhobi Colony in Sandhapettai say that as they do not have any space to construct toilets of their own, they have to use the pay-and-use toilet, which is managed by a self-help group. Selvam, a resident, said that the SHG members, who manage the toilet in their colony, behave in a very autocratic manner. "They open the toilet at 6am and close it at 6pm. Though we pay 3 to use it, our relatives who come to visit us, are forced to pay 10. So all our late night toilet needs have to be met by using the river banks," he said.