Delhi rejects 70% applications for toilets under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the government provides Rs 4,000 per household for building toilets. Officials said that 40% applications were rejected as applicants already had toilets and had applied unnecessarily.

Lack of space in crammed neighbourhoods, absence of sewer lines, and residents trying to extract money from the government by submitting false information are some of the main reasons why the authorities are rejecting applications for financing toilets in homes in Delhi.

The municipal corporations have so far accessed 2,312 applications, of which 378 received from areas under North Corporation, 1905 under South and 29 under East Delhi Municipal Corporation. (Ravi Choudhary/HT PHOTO)

The three municipal bodies have rejected over 70% applications received for constructing household toilets under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The government provides Rs 4,000 per household for building toilets.

As per officials, in 40 per cent cases applicants already had toilets constructed in their houses still they have unnecessarily applied for scheme to withdraw money from government. Besides, there were other applicants who have no land for constructing toilets at homes.

The municipal corporations have so far accessed 2,312 applications, of which 378 received from areas under North Corporation, 1905 under South and 29 under East Delhi Municipal Corporation. And after verification, the sanitation departments had rejected 1,643 applications.

“Initially, we were also worried with increasing number of ‘rejected’ cases and that’s why instructions were issued to the staff for being more careful during verification process. But later we realised that the application were not fulfilling the basic parameters,” said Puneet Goel commissioner, SDMC.

For example, of the total applications accessed by the South DMC, an area (Lal Kaun) in central zone submitted 850 requests, within few months.

“We carried a detailed enquiry and the result was surprising. It was found that majority of the applicants misinterpreted the policy as a ‘freebie’ announced by central government for poor people and applied for scheme even if they have a toilet constructed at home,” said the official.

And at the places where there is land, civic agencies are facing difficultly in providing legal connections. “Especially at the unauthorised areas, there are no sewer lines. In the given circumstances we can’t construct toilet and connect them to storm water drain as it is illegal,” said official from North DMC.

“We requested the residents to contribute money for making septic tank but they refused to spent money,” he said further. The agency claimed to receive 290 from the unauthorised areas under Narela zone.

Situation is nowhere different in east Delhi which has rejected 28 out of 29 applications. “We came across many fake cases including one from Sonia Vihar where owner wanted subsidy for toilet construction at another address in Loni, Ghaziabad,” said senior official from East DMC.

The civic bodies are keeping close watch over the people already issued money (first instalment) for constructing toilets. “Though money has been released in 150 cases, but it has been observed some of the people have not even begun the construction of toilet at their houses. We will issue them instruction soon because they can’t misuse funds,” said the official.