Kolkata: The Union Health Ministry has recognised public toilets run by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) as the best and cleanest in the country under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Last week, the Health Ministry sent the Open Defecation Free (ODF) plus certificate to the KMC. This means that no open defecation happens in any of the 144 municipal wards under KMC.
There are 478 public toilets in Kolkata run by KMC. Out of these, only 17 toilets are for women and are run by private enterprises.
The certificate also mentions that each of these toilets is healthy. That means no disease or infection can spread from here.
According to KMC, it will build public toilets in the five medical colleges in the city. In addition, nine new toilets will be built on the stretch from EM Bypass to Kamalgazi.
Female toilets will also be increased in both North and South Kolkata. Government lands for this are already being identified.
