Bombay High Court Criticizes BMC's Inaction on Slum Toilets

The Bombay High Court has criticized the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its lack of cooperation in providing additional toilets in a slum area. The court has ordered the BMC to install temporary toilets within 15 days and permanent ones in three months, after residents filed a petition citing inadequate facilities.

The Bombay High Court has lambasted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its 'uncooperative and insensitive' manner in addressing the dire need for additional toilets in a Mumbai slum. The division bench ordered the BMC to urgently provide temporary toilets and commence the construction of permanent ones in three months.

The directive was issued following a petition from Kalina slum residents, who emphasized the acute shortage of toilet facilities, with just 10 blocks servicing 1,600 people. The court underscored the insufficiency of current facilities even by minimalistic standards, requiring immediate action.

Despite prior commitments, the BMC cited bureaucratic hurdles, attributing delays to the need for a No Objection Certificate from the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which was proven false. The court mandated strict timelines for completion, imposing responsibility directly on the BMC commissioner.

(With inputs from agencies.)