KMC-contractor wrangle as toilet stench rises

The public toilet opposite the Kandy Municipal Market is causing uneasiness among many vendors and passers by. Many complain that the toilet gully overflows through the drainage pipes into the market area.

“This problem is persisting for two years now. We have written to many people, including the Municipal Council, but no concrete action had been taken. Earlier, the officials said they have given the toilet to contractors, but it has not worked so far. As people do not like to come this way due to the stench we cannot sell anything,” said a vendor, who did not wish to be identified.
A passer by said he avoided this route. “I do shopping on the other side, and even if I want to get a three-wheeler, I walk on the other side of the road,” he said.

The cleaning contractor of the public toilet, Alahan Ganesh said they were doing the best to keep the toilet clean and avoid the over-flow.

“We have nearly six staff, three each for men’s and women’s toilets and once in every three hours we clean it. We make sure that it does not leak, but this gully system has not been renovated for a long time. Even the cement is damaged and maybe the stench is escaping from the damaged holes,” he said.

Ganesh added that though the Municipal Council had paid them to solve the problem, they rarely send any technical officers to inspect the problem.

Kandy Deputy Mayor Suminda Wickramasinghe said he had not received any complaints. “The Municipal Council did not get any complaints about the public toilet. However, we have given the toilet contractors to clean the gully and avoid the over-flow. If there were any complaints, we would assess the problem,” he said.