"In most of the educational institutions, sanitary vending and disposal machines have yet not been installed. Also, as is evident from the record and the discussions across the Bar, there is a lack of funds for maintenance if toilets”, the Patna High Court stated on 24th March, 2021 after inspecting the report submitted by the committee. The court also stated that there is a lack of infrastructure, toilets, etc in the girl’s education institutions in Patna.
On 9th March, 2021, the High Court bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice S. Kumar formed a committee consisted of three Lady Advocates who were assigned the task of ascertaining the condition of the sanitation facilities available in some of the listed girls’ schools.
The committee submitted its report along with some photographs depicting the infrastructure and sanitation facilities of few of the educational institutes to the court on 24th March, 2021.
On examining the conditions visible in the photographs and the report provided to the court by the committee the court observed-
“The condition only depicts that the place is unsuitable to be used even by Animals. From the presented report, it is apparent that there is a clear lack of infrastructure, toilets and also shows there is ill-maintenance. In most of the educational institutions, sanitary vending and disposal machines have yet not been installed. Also, as is evident from the record and the discussion across the Bar, there is lack of funds for maintenance of toilets.”
The court pointed out that the Government must allocate and provide more funds towards maintenance of toilets.
It came to the knowledge of the court that in some institutions there were no toilets and the girls had to use the public facilities outside the premises of the institute.
To this, the court responded –
“ We are not aware of the reason thereof, but let the authorities, including the Commissioner, Patna Municipal Corporation, examine the issue find a solution so as to ensure that the students have direct and exclusive access to the toilets within the campus”.
The matter is listed for further hearing on 15th April,2021.
