World Toilet Day observed in slums

Public and community toilets becoming extinct S Women suffering indignity; need for more toilets

Basti Vikas Manch says that many girls do not drink water at government schools, owing to lack of toilet facilities

Some 2.5 billion global population do not have access to toilets, prompting open defecation and contacting diseases like diarrhea. Each day about 1,600 people die of this disease in India alone, owing to unhygienic water.

In order to discourage open defecation and press the demand for more public toilets, the Basti Vikas Manch (BVS) observed the World Toilet Day in the city.

Extending their support for the BVM’s cause, officials from various departments expressed concern over the decreasing number of public toilets.

At a programme held in Rasoolpura near Begumpet, hundreds of school children took out a rally for generating awareness in the lanes and bylines of one of the biggest slums in the city. Later, they converged at the government school and performed skits and songs to propagate the importance of hygiene. One of the skits compared two different families, one maintaining hygiene and the other living in unclean conditions. It attracted the students as well as the elders of locality.

Speaking on the occasion, Begumpet Circle Inspector B Srihari lamented that most of the old public toilets were slowly becoming extinct, and the people were left to fend for themselves. “Sulabh Complex which was known for providing hygienic public toilets for last few years is slowly shutting down its business. Now, it perceives this service to be unprofitable. No one is ready to raise voice over this,” he pointed out. Welcoming the initiative taken up in his jurisdiction, the police officer extended support to it. Dr Renu Kapoor of Family Planning Association of India felt that the women availing of community toilets were at the receiving end, as they had to use it in the early morning before the dawn. During the day, if they wished to use toilets, it would be the most embarrassing situation for them. She demanded that the government provide at least one public toilet for 5-10 houses, so that the women do not have to suffer.

Jasveen Jairath, the Chief Advisor of Manch, called upon the children to know what their rights were, as without raising their voices, none would understand their problems in government schools. “You must fight for clean toilets. Children should take an initiative for demanding clean water and drainage system,” he said.

BVM convener Nayeem Sheikh lamented that many girls do not drink water at government schools, owing to lack of toilet facilities.