Use public toilets at your own risk

MYSORE: Mysore lacks good public toilet facility, and it is disheartening for the very fact that the Heritage City keeps attracting thousands of tourists every day. Public urinals in the city are not well maintained and are pathetic to use. Added to that, contractors maintaining those toilets charge more money.
Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has built public toilets near suburban bus stand, city bus stand, railway station, Gandhi Circle, Lansdowne building, and on Chamaraja Double Road and Diwan's Road, and outsourced the maintenance job to contractors.
At the time of tender, MCC informs contractors to charge certain amount from the users - it is free for using urinals and Rs 2 to use toilets. But some contractors charge more than Rs 4 for both.
Those visiting the toilets have to pay before using the urinals, else the attendant refuses to let him/ her in. Airing her plight, flower vendor Shankramma said that an attendant fleeced her by charging Rs 4 just for using urinals, even when the display board spoke otherwise.
Though contractors charge more money from the visitors, they give least importance to maintaining the toilets. This is raising health concerns among the visitors. "Pay-and-use toilets look good from outside. But the real picture can be seen only after stepping in. They just stink," says homemaker Indrani K.
Even the premises of some public toilets are messy, which makes it difficult for visitors to go to rest rooms. Those manning the toilets have ready answer when they are asked about the lack of maintenance -- "this is all we can do for the money you pay".
Public toilets are constructed to help the public. We will look into the matter and give notice to contractors not to charge more money. We will keep a check on sanitation as well.
Dr P G Ramesh, MCC commissioner