Summary:
This is contrary to the directions issued by oil companies.”“No money shall be charged by the petrol pump owners for permitting the use of toilets/urinals. At some filling stations, the toilets/urinals are kept locked and are only customers are allowed to use them. Nainital: Uttarakhand high court ordered petrol pump owners across the state to put up big signboards allowing commuters to use toilets and urinals free of cost on their premises.Division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh observed, “According to the directions issued by the oil companies, petrol pump owners are required to construct public toilets/urinals, however, the owners of the petrol pumps do not permit commuters to use them. The drinking water shall also be made available to the commuters by the petrol pump owners, free of cost,” the court ordered.The court also directed the state government to construct “sufficient number of toilets/urinals between Saptrishi Checkpost and Jatwada Bridge within six months”. The HC added that the charges should be reasonable and children below 12 years and elderly women should not be charged.A letter addressed to the chief justice by Haridwar-based social activist Gopal Krishna Badola in 2015 highlighting the lack of facilities between Saptrishi Checkpost to Jatwada Bridge in the state was treated as a PIL by the HC..