Berhampur: Thirteen public toilets in the municipal corporation area can now be located on Google Maps. The civic body will shortly launch a toilet locator awareness campaign, under which community toilets are being added to the database.

"Users will also be asked to give feedback for toilets they locate using Google," said Anjan Mahuri, officer in charge of the project.

"All you need to do is open Google Maps, search for public toilets and the closest ones will be listed along with the address, distance from your location along with opening and closing time. Users have the ability to rate and review the toilets," said the officer.

The service will be launched at 13 toilets in the first phase and will be extended for more in future.

Google has joined hands with the Union ministry of urban development to develop a toilet location tool that will help users find clean toilets around them. Google will add the location, address and opening hours of these toilets to its maps and it will be available to users both on desktop and smartphones.

Users can find their nearest public toilet by typing in "toilet" in English or "swachh" in Hindi into Google Maps on their smartphones.

"Availability of information about toilets on the Internet will be helpful to the local people, visitors and tourists. The initiative is part of our plan to improve sanitation and reduce open urination and defecation along the streets. Berhampur Municipal Corporation is working towards total elimination of open defecation. Hence it is providing public and community toilets and has asked public to make good use of the same," said Mahuri.

Social worker Tripati Nayak has welcomed the move. "Women face serious problems and they have to wait till returning home or approaching some hotel by paying money. You can imagine the plight of foreign tourists," he said.

The city has nine Sulabh Souchalaya, civic body sources said.