Nagpur Municipal Corporation has warned officials and employees that they could face disciplinary action if they neglect cleanliness at public and community toilets, while complaints about unhygienic conditions must be addressed with corrective steps within 24 hours.
The civic body submitted the commitment in writing to the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court during a hearing on a public interest litigation concerning poor conditions and alleged irregularities in the upkeep of public toilets. The matter was heard by Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Rajnish Vyas.
According to the NMC’s statement, responsibility for routine cleaning and maintenance has been assigned to sanitation inspectors in the respective wards. These inspectors will be responsible for ensuring that public and community toilets meet hygiene standards and for taking corrective action when complaints are received.
Zonal officers will monitor whether sanitation inspectors are carrying out their assigned duties, the civic body told the court. The administrative arrangement places ward-level sanitation inspectors at the centre of daily operations, with zonal officers responsible for supervision.
Residents can report unhygienic conditions or lapses in cleaning to the concerned zonal officer or assistant commissioner. Complaints can also be registered through the NMC’s public grievance portal. Once a complaint is received, the relevant sanitation inspector must take necessary corrective action within 24 hours.
The NMC said officers and employees who delay resolving complaints, neglect cleanliness or fail to perform their assigned responsibilities will face disciplinary proceedings under applicable service rules. The civic body also told the court that the system would be implemented effectively and that it would comply with future directions issued by the bench.
The litigation was filed by advocate Sandeep Badana, who raised concerns about the condition of public toilets and alleged irregularities in their maintenance. Badana appeared in person during the hearing, while advocate A S Mehadia represented the municipal corporation.
The court-monitored undertaking addresses a recurring administrative challenge in public sanitation: the gap between assigning responsibility for facility maintenance and ensuring that the responsibility is continuously enforced. The NMC’s statement identifies the officials responsible for cleaning, supervision and complaint resolution, while also setting a specified response period.
The effectiveness of the arrangement will depend on how complaints are recorded, assigned and closed, as well as whether delayed or inadequate responses lead to disciplinary action under service rules. The statement submitted to the court does not provide details of the number of toilets covered, the existing staffing strength, or the number of pending complaints.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for November 30. The NMC’s implementation of the stated monitoring and complaint-resolution process is expected to be considered as the proceedings continue.
