After Delhi Commission for Women summons, MCD prohibits use of acid in public toilets

Days after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issues notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner over the usage of acid for cleaning purposes at a civic body-run toilet, the corporation issued an order prohibiting the use of acid

Days after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued notice to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner over the usage of acid for cleaning purposes at a civic body-run toilet, the corporation issued an order prohibiting the use of acid.

Earlier on April 4, the DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal inspected an MCD female toilet Opposite GB Pant Hospital Gate No. 8, Daryaganj and found a 50-litre canister containing acid kept in the open inside the toilet.

Upon enquiry, the Commission was informed by the Safai Karamchari as well as a staff of the agency - Shri Ram Institute of Rural Development (who has been given the contract by the MCD for maintaining and operating the toilet complex), that they purchase acid every month to clean the toilets.

“The Commission was shocked to find acid, in such a huge quantity lying in the open in the MCD toilet. This is illegal and extremely dangerous as anyone could have accessed this acid and used it to cause an acid attack,” said Ms. Maliwal.

The Commission ensured that the acid was immediately confiscated by Delhi Police and issued summons to MCD officials to explain the presence of acid in toilets.

Senior officers from the City Zone appeared before the Commission and provided a written reply which stated that the MCD had issued no guidelines to prevent the usage of acid for cleaning public toilets.

“They also informed that toilets are cleaned [by the agency] as per terms and conditions imposed upon them in the contract agreement by MCD. Further, they provided a copy of the contract agreement between MCD and the agency (Shri Ram Institute of Rural Development) for maintaining and operating the toilet,” stated an official release.