dharma next: Montek Singh Ahluwalia's Planning Commission renovates 2 toilets at Rs 35 Lakh

05 June, 2012

Above: An RTI query has revealed Montek Singh Ahluwalia's Planning Commission renovated 2 toilets at a cost of Rs. 35 Lakh

Chatur Chuha said...: Friends, this has nothing to do either with Montek Singh Ahluwalia nor with the UPA/Congress government. What does MS Ahluwalia have to do with this?

This request (for toilets) addresses a very real issue in government offices. Toilets on the floors where the officers sit are marked "For Officers Only". A government office, in every state, gets hundreds of visitors each day. Public toilets for such visitors are located, usually, on the ground floor of the office building, typically around the reception area. Toilets on floors where offices are located are meant for officers - they are cleaned only a few times a week and cannot accommodate the use of more than a handful of people each day. However, visitors to these floors use these toilets despite signs indicating "For Officers Only". You can put a lock and key on these toilets as that would prevent the misuse (by visitors) of such facilities. That is what has been done here.

Now, whether the amount of Rs. 35 lakh is excessive is a different question. However, such decisions (as the toilet renovation) are made regularly in every government office in every state in India, regardless of whether that state is ruled by Congress or BJP or whoever else.

The bureaucracy may have a bad name but they do need to pee - in clean toilets!; 05 June, 2012

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