The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the municipal corporations to implement a court order and provide street-side toilets for women walking on streets within a month.
The court issued this direction after it was informed that, despite a court order passed almost a year ago, municipal corporations have not constructed toilets on the streets for women walking on streets. The court had asked municipal corporations across the state to come out with schemes to provide street-side toilets. The high court was hearing public interest litigation (PIL) filed by petitioners working for a Pune-based monthly periodical Milun Saryajani, a magazine catering particularly to the needs of women.
The PIL sought restrooms in convenient locations for women in the Pune Municipal Corporation area. Impressed with the Pune Municipal Corporation, as it took various steps for providing toilets facilities for women in the city, the bench has sought replication of the model in all cities in Maharashtra and asked all municipal corporations to follow the PMC model.
The court had earlier suggested that municipal corporations work with Non Governmental Organisations working on the Right to Pee campaign to provide toilets for women in public places.
The PIL also said that there are several working women across the city and they find it difficult to use existing toilets because they are unclean. Consequently, women suffer from ailments due to not having access to a toilet.
