<p>Dalit groups are opposing the BBMP’s plan to build more than 100 ‘She Toilets’, saying it is intended to benefit advertisers.</p>.<p>Although the city has significant public toilet shortage, the criticism stems from concerns regarding the framing of the tender conditions.</p>.<p>The groups allege that the condition would exclude those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled tribe (ST), typically responsible for maintaining the toilets, from participating in the tender.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/odisha-waives-user-fees-for-public-toilets-1191121.html" target="_blank">Odisha waives user fees for public toilets</a></strong><br /><br />Last month, the civic body launched a short-term tender for the construction of 'She Toilets' using a public-private partnership (PPP) model and reserved 25 out of 100 toilets for the SC/ST communities.</p>.<p>The chosen company will be granted commercial advertisement privileges for a 15-year period in return for constructing "smart" toilets that include a feeding area.</p>.<p>In addition to static advertisement space, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has also allowed the bidder to install a digital video wall, which is prohibited as it might distract motorists.</p>.<p>The tender document is not clear if using the toilets would involve a fee or if they are for free. Officials stress that they will be free, especially in crowded areas.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Opposition </strong></p>.<p>Groups like Dalit Bahujan Chaluvali, Karnataka Dali Industrialists Federation, and the Bahujan Samaj Party have taken up the cudgels against the tender.</p>.<p>Besides the locations designated for the SC/ST community, pro-Dalit groups have also objected to the BBMP's financial eligibility criteria, which has set a benchmark of Rs 2 crore.</p>.<p>“Around 99% of the public toilets are washed and maintained by the Dalit community, but the BBMP wants corporate firms to reap the economic benefits. The civic body can develop 100 SC/ST families by tweaking the tenders.</p>.<p>"Going by the conditions, it looks like the tender is drafted to benefit advertisers,” A C Chikkanna, a Dalit leader, said.</p>.<p>Besides raising a complaint with the state government, Chikkanna has called for the tender’s immediate withdrawal.</p>.<p>A senior Palike official told <em>DH</em> that the civic body followed the finance department’s guidelines while setting the tender conditions for SC/ST reservation.</p>.<p>“The financial turnover is around Rs 5 crore in the general category. We have halved it for the SC/ST reserved tenders,” he said.</p>.<p>Dalit groups, however, questioned the rationale behind fixing a Rs 5-crore financial turnover in the tender for toilet construction.</p>
<p>Dalit groups are opposing the BBMP’s plan to build more than 100 ‘She Toilets’, saying it is intended to benefit advertisers.</p>.<p>Although the city has significant public toilet shortage, the criticism stems from concerns regarding the framing of the tender conditions.</p>.<p>The groups allege that the condition would exclude those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled tribe (ST), typically responsible for maintaining the toilets, from participating in the tender.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/odisha-waives-user-fees-for-public-toilets-1191121.html" target="_blank">Odisha waives user fees for public toilets</a></strong><br /><br />Last month, the civic body launched a short-term tender for the construction of 'She Toilets' using a public-private partnership (PPP) model and reserved 25 out of 100 toilets for the SC/ST communities.</p>.<p>The chosen company will be granted commercial advertisement privileges for a 15-year period in return for constructing "smart" toilets that include a feeding area.</p>.<p>In addition to static advertisement space, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has also allowed the bidder to install a digital video wall, which is prohibited as it might distract motorists.</p>.<p>The tender document is not clear if using the toilets would involve a fee or if they are for free. Officials stress that they will be free, especially in crowded areas.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Opposition </strong></p>.<p>Groups like Dalit Bahujan Chaluvali, Karnataka Dali Industrialists Federation, and the Bahujan Samaj Party have taken up the cudgels against the tender.</p>.<p>Besides the locations designated for the SC/ST community, pro-Dalit groups have also objected to the BBMP's financial eligibility criteria, which has set a benchmark of Rs 2 crore.</p>.<p>“Around 99% of the public toilets are washed and maintained by the Dalit community, but the BBMP wants corporate firms to reap the economic benefits. The civic body can develop 100 SC/ST families by tweaking the tenders.</p>.<p>"Going by the conditions, it looks like the tender is drafted to benefit advertisers,” A C Chikkanna, a Dalit leader, said.</p>.<p>Besides raising a complaint with the state government, Chikkanna has called for the tender’s immediate withdrawal.</p>.<p>A senior Palike official told <em>DH</em> that the civic body followed the finance department’s guidelines while setting the tender conditions for SC/ST reservation.</p>.<p>“The financial turnover is around Rs 5 crore in the general category. We have halved it for the SC/ST reserved tenders,” he said.</p>.<p>Dalit groups, however, questioned the rationale behind fixing a Rs 5-crore financial turnover in the tender for toilet construction.</p>