UP government sets new standards in toilet building even as Noida witnesses amazing transformation

Last year, the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh had set a target of constructing 100 public toilets in Noida before October 2 under the BOT (built-operate-transfer) model as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission. It included major localities such as the GIP Mall, Botanical Garden Metro Station, Sector 18, Sector 72 crossing, Sector 51 metro station, City Centre Mall, residential-industrial sectors, etc. These toilets were to be built by private agencies at a cost between Rs. 10 to 12 lakhs.

The ambitious target that the Yogi government had set for itself is now yielding positive results for it. As per one Twitter user, the Uttar Pradesh government has constructed these public toilets at every 1 Km in Noida (Vikas Marg). They are clean, well maintained and free to use. Maintenance cost comes from the advertisement on top of it. This augurs really well for the suburb and shows how an efficient government can stage an amazing turnaround.

Noida had declared itself open defecation free (ODF) on October 2 last year by building 107 public toilets, 28 individual household toilets and 56 community toilets at designated spots across the city. Later in the month of December last year, the Noida Authority had fined 17 people in sectors 18, 43, 53, 62 and Mamura village a total of Rs 2,200 for urinating and defecating in the open. S K Gupta, deputy general manager, public health department, Noida Authority said at that time, “the staff of the public health department, Noida Authority, undertook a tour of some sectors for a check on sanitation and health-related problems. They visited sectors 18, 43, 53, 62 and Mamura village where they found people urinating and defecating in the open. Most cases were of people urinating in the open. A fine of Rs 100 was levied on 12 people for the same and Rs 200 was taken from five people found defecating in the open, despite the facility of community toilets provided by the authority.” This was a first-of-its-kind move, and it shows that the city has moved on to the next level. Noida is well past the stage where there was not sufficient infrastructure for preventing open defecation.

Now, Noida has reached the stage where the government has constructed sufficient number of toilets and now the Authority can move towards strict action against those defecating in the open. Noida Authority now has the option of moving towards the stage enforcement from infrastructure building. This is a great achievement in itself and speaks volumes of the dedication that the Uttar Pradesh government has shown for the cause.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has staged a massive turnaround in Uttar Pradesh on this front. Before the BJP came to power in 2017 in the state, Uttar Pradesh had only 47% toilet coverage under Swachh Bharat (Grameen) as on April 30, 2017. The situation was even worse as on October 2, 2014 when the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan began. At that time, toilet coverage was a meagre 37% in Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, in the first two and a half years, when the Akhilesh government was at the helm of affairs, merely 10% progress took place. However, things started moving quickly ever since the Yogi government took charge of affairs and there has been a a massive surge in the total number of toilets that have been built. In a matter of just a little more than one year, toilet coverage in Uttar Pradesh had reached 74% last year. It shows the difference that strong and dedicated leadership can make. The state of Uttar Pradesh has embarked on a new path as far as progress in toilet construction is concerned.