In a significant move to protect women’s rights, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed public toilet maintainers in Shimla to stop charging women extra fees for using public facilities.
The high court has mandated that maintainers must display a mobile number inside the toilets for complaints. Any woman asked to pay Rs 5 or any other fee for using the toilet should report the incident immediately.
A bench consisting of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Sushil Kukreja emphasised that strict action will be taken against those who defy the high court’s orders and continue to collect these charges.
In a related issue, the High Court has taken note of the deplorable condition of toilets at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla. The high court has included the Medical Superintendent of IGMC and the Secretary of the state health department as parties to the case.
This decision follows a report from Justice Deven Khanna, appointed by the high court, who highlighted severe sanitation issues through a video conference.
Justice Khanna, who is currently admitted to the urology department of the IGMC, reported that there are no separate toilets for men and women, leading to a heightened risk of infections among patients. He also pointed out that the existing toilet facilities are in extremely poor condition, causing significant distress for patients.
The high court has ordered the Medical Superintendent of IGMC and the state Health Secretary to file a status report on the condition of the hospital’s toilets before the next hearing. This directive aims to ensure that the necessary improvements are made promptly to safeguard patient health and well-being.
