Urinal charge peeves many
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 06 2017: Many people have expressed strong disapproval against charging Rs 5 which is often doubled when there is no change for urinal at Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) Khuman Lampak .

Notably, the ISBT which was constructed with NEC as the major funding agency was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh ahead of the 10th State Assembly election.

But it was commissioned only in December last year .

Cleaning and maintenance work of the ISBT including its bus bays and toilets have been outsourced to the Manipur Sweepers' Association (MSA).

As of now, MSA seems to be working sincerely to keep the bus terminus neat and clean .

Yet, there have been complaints that the urinal charge of Rs 5 is often doubled when there is no change or the change of Rs five is returned in the form of toffees .

Urinal charge peeves many

There are also reports about bargaining fines when any individual is caught peeing at improper places by private security personnel .

One S Indramani (name changed) told The Sangai Express remarked that defecation charge of Rs 10 applies at ISBT public toilets as elsewhere in the State .

Even though it has been accepted as a common rate, charging Rs 5 for peeing is too much.

As if it is not enough, people are often forced to spend Rs 10 when they give a Rs 10 note because the care-taker would return the change in the form of chewing gums or toffees .

People who are caught peeing on or beside the compound wall near the entry and exit gates are fined Rs 100 to Rs 300 if they are caught by security personnel of MSA .

Pointing out that no one is charged for peeing at any other public toilets, S Indramani sought immediate attention of the authority concerned .

One care-taker of the ISBT public toilets told The Sangai Express that there is no instruction to charge Rs 5 for peeing .

However, Rs 5 is charged for peeing in order to meet the expenses of buying water necessary for cleaning the lavatories .

The Government has been working to install a big water tank.

Once the water is installed, there would be no need for buying water .

But for the moment, 2000 litres of water is sometimes not enough to meet a day's requirement.

Once the latrines are equipped with water pipes after the new water tank is installed, no one would be charged Rs 5 for peeing, said the care-taker .

Sometimes chewing gums or toffees worth Rs 5 are given to people who give Rs 10 after peeing because of want of changes.

The change can be returned in the form of 'tokens' but most people don't like token system .

The care-taker further clarified that people caught peeing at improper places are fined just Rs 30 or 40, and not more.