/ Visitors to Collectorate raise a stink over poor condition of its toilets

The Hindu

2 days ago

A. Prema, one of the petitioners who visited the District Collector Office on Monday, remarked: 'Look at these toilets. They are stinking! The floors are almost black. The Collector must inspect these facilities, and ensure better amenities for the public.'
The toilet facilities, close to the District Office for Differently-abled (North Chennai) on the Collectorate premises, are in a poor condition as they have not been cleaned for over three months, the petitioners say.
Over 300 people use these facilities daily — two toilets for persons with disabilities (PwDs), a women's restroom with just two water closets, and one for men with a urinal and a water closet. The women's restroom has only one door for both the water closets, rather than separate ones for each facility.
R. Geetha, another petitioner, noticed stagnant wastewater in one of the two toilets designated for PwDs, and rusted hand rails in the other, and flinched.
'The latches in the women's restroom are broken, and there is a large hole in the door. So, we use the facilities meant for PwDs. Further, empty liquor bottles, leaves, and waste are scattered over the floor. We are afraid of contracting infections from these unhygienic toilets,' she said.
Meanwhile, the facilities in the main Collectorate building are better now, compared to the previous years, the petitioners say. 'However, the toilets outside are more accessible for those who need to visit other departments within the campus. I had no choice but to use them despite their pathetic condition as it was an emergency,' Ms. Prema said.
'Two nearby toilets designated for officials are always closed. Opening these to the public would be helpful since officials can use toilets in their offices or elsewhere in the building,' she further said.
Prabhu K. of the December 3 Movement said he had flagged the issue multiple times with the Collectorate, but no action was taken.
When asked about this, a Tahsildar at the Collectorate said the Public Works Department (PWD) was responsible for the facilities' maintenance, and that the concerned authorities were notified of the problem.
Later in the day, PWD officials at the Collectorate employed conservancy workers to clean the campus, and said the broken doors and latches would be replaced.
A senior official at the Collectorate said there were plans to renovate the toilets, but the funds had not yet been allocated for the same. However, it was expected to be done in March 2026. 'Collectorate officers have been urging the PWD to ensure the regular cleaning of toilets but it has not been done,' she added.