Women lawyers write to PM Modi over lack of toilet at Maharashtra Consumer Commission

A body of women lawyers has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging the lack of toilet facilities for women at the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) premises in Mumbai. .The letter by Interactive Lawyers Association for Women has highlighted the "sad plight and continued inconvenience" faced by female advocates, litigants and staff, and has sought urgent intervention to ensure basic sanitation at the premises of the consumer commission.In the letter dated February 3, the association said that the SCDRC, housed in the Old Sachivalaya building near Elphinstone College, has only one washroom on the ground floor—and it is for men. Women are forced to go to the first floor, where they share limited facilities with other building occupants."Some of the lady staff members of the SCDRC and advocates have requested us to bring to your kind notice their sad plight and continued inconvenience and to help them with the basic facility of providing toilet/washroom on the ground floor of their workplace, which is their fundamental right and basic requirement," the letter stated..The association, which previously played a role in securing sanitary pad vending machines in the Bombay High Court and setting up a crèche facility for court staff and lawyers, expressed shock that such a crucial facility was missing at an important legal institution. "We understand and appreciate that the said Premises is not in the rural sector but the SCDRC authorities have not considered that basic sanitation facilities like toilets, are necessary and mandatory at any workplace especially for ladies," the letter added..Drawing attention to Modi’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission, the lawyers emphasized that the situation at the SCDRC contradicts the very principles of the cleanliness campaign. "We are well aware and appreciate your initiative and ambitious mission to provide toilets/washrooms for one and all under your 'Pradhan Mantri Swachh Bharat Yojana' launched in 2014 and thereafter continued as SBM-U(Urban) 2.0 in 2021, to continue the progress made in this sector," the letter stated.The lawyers have urged PM Modi to direct the concerned departments to address the issue on an urgent basis. A copy of the letter has also been sent to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for necessary action.