PANAJI
The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) has expressed concern about the tender issued by the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) to maintain the public pay toilet at Panaji bus stand in view of the existing infrastructure not suitable to cope with the present Covid-19 impacts.
In a letter to the Tiswadi deputy collector Gurudas Desai, Roland Martins, coordinator, GOACAN, has pointed out that Panaji like the rest of Goa is confronted by the second deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused increased infections and deaths. It has been established all over the country that one place emerging as a spreader for the Covid-19 infections is public toilets, particularly at bus stands, says Martins. The reasons being no temperature check before entry, lack of proper ventilation, lack of continuous water supply, toilet attendant not wearing a mask, non-availability of hand sanitizer and most of all lack of supervision by sanitary inspectors and the bus stand managers.
It may be noted that Derrick Pereira Neto, managing director KTCL had issued an advertisement calling for tenders to maintain the public pay toilet at Panaji bus stand. The tender forms have been on sale from May 10 and the last date to receive the tenders and the opening of the same being May 31.
GOACAN letter points out that it has been handling consumer complaints with regards to public pay toilets at KTCL bus stands for over 10 years and have noted that most of these complaints are linked to issues with the service providers. Some of the consumer complaints received range from, not maintaining cleanliness in the toilet, no proper display of user charges, over charging by toilets attendants, non-wearing of uniform by the toilet attendant, lack of regular water supply, no proper facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities and no proper display of telephone numbers and email ID for customer grievances.
In 2016 and 2018 at the request of GOACAN, the then Tiswadi deputy collector had convened meetings to discuss consumer complaints about the public toilets, which were attended by representatives of KTCL, pay toilet service provider, urban health centre, CCP, tourism department and department of civil supplies and consumer affairs.
The existing infrastructure provided at the public toilet does not meet the consumers requirements, alleges GOACAN which has visited the venue.
Therefore, GOACAN has requested the deputy collector to get KTCL to submit a copy of the tender form for the purpose of reviewing the terms and conditions. It has further stated that the Directorate of Health Services, Directorate of Transport, Directorate of Social Welfare and the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs be requested to offer their comments / suggestions on the terms and conditions contained in the tender form and recommend clauses that need to be included in the Agreement to be signed between KTCL and the service provider.
