Varanasi, July 26, 2013:  It has been three years since the plan for construction of Community Toilet Complexes (CTC) was approved by the Union ministry of environment and forest in July 2010, but nothing concrete is visible on that part yet.

Tenders were floated on July 17 for selection of working agency by Varanasi municipal corporation, the implementing agency of the CTC project and the last date for completing the tender process has been fixed as August 30. According to Sachchidanand Singh additional municipal commissioner and in charge of JAICA funded projects, first the technical bid will be decided followed by the financial bid. Selected agencies will have to complete the construction within six months after the work order is issued. As many as 45 CTCs have to be built in the first phase out of which there will be 29 five seated, 14 ten seated and two- twenty seated CTCs. Constructing agency will be made responsible for maintenance of the CTCs for next three years.

For the JICA assisted Ganga Action Plan Phase-II project at Varanasi under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) programme, a fund of Rs 496.90 crores has been sanctioned by the JICA. The fund would be utilised for 16 packages of sewage works and four packages of non-sewage works.

The packages of non-sewage works would be handled by the Varanasi Nagar Nigam. It was decided that the project cost would be shared in a ratio of 85:15 between the Government of India and the government of Uttar Pradesh, except for the component of consulting services, which will be borne entirely by the Government of India.

The CTC project is one of the non sewerage component of JICA project which also includes building Dhobi ghats, public awareness and development of ghats.The entire cost of the CTC project stands at RS 20.7 crore out of which Rs 5.42 crore has been released for the first phase of the construction work.

The delay in the project is also undermining several other factors including employment opportunities particularly at the construction stage as stated by the administration.

Apart from that the project would also benefit the local population and foreign tourists who visit the city for its spiritual and cultural importance as the CTC will provide huge relief so far as basic amenities are concerned.

Also lack of community toilets in the city has become a cause of trouble for Kaanwariyas especially for women kanwariyas, who are arriving in the city in huge numbers to offer Gangajal to Lord Vishwanath in the holy month of Shravan. There are only two community toilets run by Sulabh International that obviously are far from what is required. Also one major problem faced by the women kaanvariyas is that the urinals that are present are not gender sensitive.

No steps have been taken by the administration to ensure a hassle free pilgrimage for these devotees so far as basic amenities are concerned. Additional municipal commissioner is waiting for the 'need' to arise for any action in this direction. " If it is needed or somebody demands for it we will see what can we do," said the official.

Source: The Times of India, July 26, 2013