MCC’s e-toilet project stinks of corruption

• Rs. 1.52 crore paid to e-toilet unit suppliers for project worth Rs. 1.16 crore
• Following non-maintenance, now all e-toilet units to be sent to scrapyard

Mysore/Mysuru: All the 23 e-toilets (electronic/ eco toilets) installed in Mysuru city at various points will be put to scrap as none of them are functioning. The metal and plastic pieces obtained from the e-toilets, each worth Rs. 6.25 lakh, will be recycled at the scrapyard.

This is the fate of the ambitious project that the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) launched with much fanfare, hoping to revolutionise public urinals. The project was floated in 2016-2017 and 23 such units were installed across the city, especially in the areas where there is more concentration of people.

The overall cost of installing these portable, eco-friendly and GPRS-enabled hygienically maintained eco-toilets is 1.16 crore, apart from other overhead costs. The contract of the e-toilet was designed in such a way that the company that supplied the units had to maintain them for a year and later hand them over to the MCC. Users could insert Rs. 5 coin for the doors of the e-toilet to open. These e-toilets used less amount of water and there was a sensor-enabled system to conserve water and electricity usage. If the toilet was occupied, the sensor signalled the same to people waiting to get in and the doors opened only after usage.

Maintenance burdensome

After the e-toilet companies maintained the 23 units, they were handed over to the MCC. Initially, the MCC was prompt in maintaining the toilets and later it became burdensome. As a result, 10 units landed at the Vidyaranyapuram Sewage Farm. Later, the countdown began for the remaining 13 and now all of them will be sent to the scrapyard. Amidst all this, the e-toilet project has raised a stink where questions are being raised on the manner in which the hi-tech units were procured. The MCC has refused to entertain any RTI query on the project and has given only partial details on the suppliers of the units and the cost factor.

Higher procurement rates

According to RTI activist Aravind Sharma, the MCC has spent Rs. 1.16 crore in the project but has not paid for maintenance. 18 toilet units have been procured from P. Kubendran and five have been procured from Kerala-based Eram Scientific Solution Private Limited, as per the file notings by the Executive Engineer, MCC Underground Drainage Department.

As per the file noting, though a payment for P. Kubendran was decided at Rs. 1,20,14,496, an additional amount of Rs. 3,42,823 has been paid to him for 18 units. And despite Eram Scientific Solution quoting Rs. 5,88,226 per e-toilet unit, only five were purchased from them and the MCC chose to buy from Kubendran who quoted Rs. 6.29 lakh to Rs. 7.65 lakh per unit.

Replying to the RTI query, the MCC neither provided the certified copies of agreement entered into with the suppliers nor provided any details about how the MCC maintained the 23 units after they were handed over by the suppliers, alleged Aravind Sharma, demanding a probe by the MCC Commissioner.

“Also, the MCC has mentioned that the total project cost is Rs. 1.16 crore but when the amount paid to the e-toilet unit suppliers is calculated, the total cost comes up to Rs. 1,52,98,449. How is this possible,” he questioned.