Kathmandu, May 4         

A study on public latrines in the Kathmandu Valley in 2012 showed that people refrained from using public toilets due to poor hygiene and lack of cleanliness.

Although four years have passed since the study, was conducted, the condition of public latrines still remains pathetically poor in the Valley.

There were a total of 68 public toilets in the Valley when the study was conducted.The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has built additional 10 public latrines in the Valley since, but most people avoid using them.

KMC spokesperson Gyanendra Karki said KMC has identified 52 places across the Valley to build additional public toilets.

“We have identified 52 places for building additional public toilets. We have forwarded a proposal in this regard to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development,” he told The Himalayan Times.

According to him, Maharajgunj, Kalanki, Koteshwor, Jamal and other Ring Road and city core areas with high mobility of people have been selected for building public toilets. He said the new toilets would be built once they get the ministry’s nod.

KMC said high sanitation standards would be maintained at new public toilets.

According to the study, 19 per cent of people on the move did not want to use public toilets due poor to poor hygiene and lack of cleanliness. It was found that around 1,000 people used each public toilet a day.

The Department of Water Supply and Sewerage said 34 districts, 89 municipalities and more than 2,110 village development committees were declared open defecation free zone so far.

“Nepal has already succeeded in meeting Millennium Development Goals 2015 and is expecting to meet national goal by 2017,” Bhojendra Aryal, a sociologist at the Department said, “If cities could manage public toilets properly as per public demand, it would help to meet national goal.”