Loo and behold! Sorry, no entry

KOCHI: The public coming to the Collectorate will face the trauma of not being able to relieve themselves as there will be no facility of toilets for them in the days to come. The lackadaisical attitude of the PWD Building authorities is cited as the main reason.Works are on to partition the toilet in the first floor which was the only option available for the public. As it gets partitioned, the entry will be strictly restricted to the staff. The main reason cited for such a step is the theft of bathroom fittings. If that remains the fact, the authorities concerned have not come up with another alternative. “We began the work of partition following an order from the Collectorate. This lavatory was modernised. Many thefts were reported after it was embellished with modern fittings. When it became a routine affair, we are left with no  other option but partition the toilet,” said Sushma, Assistant Engineer, PWD Buildings.But these actions have raised many an eyebrow as it would make the Civil Station, where hundreds of people flock, devoid of a toilet. There are three common toilets on the ground floor. One is used by the Treasury Department.  The other two were closed citing that the public were not using it properly. “Those bathrooms are meant for the public. Of course, one cannot expect it to be clean when so many people from all walks of life use it. Poor maintenance has led to its closure,” sources said.“We have raised our concern but there has not been any positive response. They have locked up the toilets on the ground floor. They  should immediately take steps to open any one of these for the public,” they said.  When asked about the toilets on the ground floor being locked up, the PWD authorities did not have proper answers to give. In her response, Additional District Magistrate E K Sujatha said she was unaware of the situation and would soon look into the matter.