Kochi: Three of the six eco-friendly bio-toilets established by the corporation in the city at a cost of Rs 7 lakh each have been closed down for want of takers. While the toilets near Ernakulam Town Hall, Palarivattom and Kacheripady have been shut, those at Fort Kochi, Ernakulam market and Palarivattom remain open.
The toilets which are fully automated and equipped with a mechanism for floor cleaning and regulating water supply, are not popular with women, going by corporation officials.
“The agency maintaining the toilets has informed us that it is not feasible for it to run them anymore as not many are using them. We are now searching for a new agency to take over their maintenance,” said Soumini Jain, chairperson of the corporation’s works committee.
The women’s wing of the the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) is now reportedly interested in taking over the maintenance of the toilets and has decided to identify business houses ready to provide assistance for the project from their corporate social responsibility funds.
The city corporation set up the bio toilets following criticism that it had failed to provide this essential public utility service in a fast growing city like Kochi with its large floating population.
The original proposal was to set up 10 such units in the city in pay and use mode.
