Bhubaneswar, July 7: The municipal corporation has started work on setting up three hybrid toilets at Jayadev Vihar, Buddha Nagar and Brameshwarpatna in the city.

On Tuesday, state tourism and culture minister Ashok Chandra Panda laid foundation stones of Ama Souchalaya, which are expected to come up by December.

The facility is termed hybrid as it needs only 300ml of water to flush out slush as compared to 10 to 15 litres required in a standard loo. The maintenance cost is also minimal. Moreover, the toilet complex will have energy efficient LED lighting system.

Every one - be it pedestrians, commuters or slum dwellers - will have access to the hybrid toilets. Only the slum dwellers will be provided with a monthly pass, while the rest will have to pay before using it.

According to the plan, the slum dwellers will be allowed to use the toilets for Rs 50 per family per month, while others will have to pay rates similar to those charged at public toilets.

The project will benefit slum dwellers residing at Salia Sahi, Haldipadia, Buddha Nagar, Bhoi Sahi, Behera Sahi and Bharati Matha.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said the hybrid toilets would definitely help the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation keep the city clean and smart. "The hybrid toilet project is a unique concept taken up by the corporation. This will be the first of its kind system to become functional in the country. I hope the public, as well as the slum dwellers, make the most of it," said Jena.

Jayadev Vihar resident Upasana Dutta said the area was one of the busiest junctions and a major recreational zone in the city. However, it lacks basic public amenities, including toilets and drinking water facilities. "I hope that this project of the municipal corporation would prove helpful for us," said Dutta, who is a corporate employee by profession.

Corporation sources said construction of the three toilets would be over within six months. The civic body will install more than 150 such facilities in the city in collaboration with the Sulabh International.

The project has been taken up under the design build operate maintain and transfer scheme.

At present, the city lags behind in providing toilet facility to its people.

Notably, according to the World Health Organisation guidelines, there should be one public toilet for every 100 persons. Accordingly, the city should have nearly 10,000 public toilets for its 10 lakh population, but it has less than 100.

The hybrid toilet project has been taken up under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme. The project will also be executed in eight other cities, including Cuttack, Berhampur, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Baripada, Balasore and Bhadrak.