Delhi HC seeks Centre, city govt's response on PIL seeking hygienic public urinals

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday sought Central and Arvind Kejriwal-led government officials' response to a plea seeking the court's direction to the concerned authorities to make available enough public urinals in the national capital and ensure hygiene, clean water and electricity supply simultaneously.

Filed in a form of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was looking at the Jan Sewa Welfare Society's plea.

The argument in the PIL makes the claim that the general public in the city experiences a variety of problems as a result of improper upkeep and unhygienic conditions in public restrooms.

It also states that poor sanitation results in a disgusting atmosphere and contagious diseases that could be dangerous for people and that it is a clear violation of the right to life and personal liberty of the public at large in the spirit of Article 21, Part III of the Constitution of India.

The PIL reads: "Needless to say, the responsibility to maintain hygienic public toilets rests on the shoulders of civic authorities of the locality who are the instrumentality of the State."

The court directed the authorities-Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Government's Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Cantonment Board, Delhi Power Company Limited, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited, BSES Yamuna Power Limited, and TATA Power Delhi Distribution Limited-to file a status report within six weeks' time.

The court will next hear the matter on May 23.

Pointing out the present government's flagship programme to promote sanitation and public health 'Swachh Bharat Mission', the PIL states: "To meet the goals set forth by the Government of India, it becomes pertinent to ensure availability and access of the general public to clean public urinals, especially, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT of Delhi). In order to achieve the goals, set forth under the SBM, there is an urgent and necessary requirement to improve the conditions and cleanliness of public urinals."

In addition, the PIL makes the case that the city government needs to lead the march to attain and enable clean and hygienic sanitation for both citizens and non-citizens.