Those in the authority never being oblivious of their role of rolling out platitudes over the need of hygiene and sanitation, Dehradun is falling woefully short of even the minimum standards on this count. The number of public toilets in the city known as Sulabh Sauchalaya is a few and even those which exist are not being maintained well as they ought to be. Condition of those located in the bustling market areas, used by the traders and the shoppers most of them the women, is simply horrible. “It is beyond our comprehension why it remains filthy despite us paying for its use,” runs the critical refrain around one located near the GPO.
Swarna Singh, a local trader, said they face things daily with the Sulabh Sauchalaya remaining stinking. “Each time we pay them Rs 5. Yet, it is found dirty,” she said.
There are two Sulabh Sauchalayas in the vicinity of the Clock Tower, the area deemed as the nerve centre of the city. One is next to GPO and the other is near Gandhi Park. “Both invariably stink as they remain un-cleaned. I for one have never found it clean. We pay and so we are entitled to having them cleaned,” grumbled Deep Prakash Bahuguna, a shopkeeper trading from near Clock Tower.
Amita Thapa, who was found shopping at Paltan Bazar, echoed the same complaint. “The market places in the city are generally bereft of public toilets. We are greatly inconvenienced because of this. We go to the nearby restaurants to use their washrooms for relieving ourselves. There should be at least two public toilets in the market areas. We wonder why the civic body and others are not bothered about the problem we have been facing,” she said.
Another local trader Anil Gulati said they usually relieve themselves in the open in the absence of public toilet in the Palta Bazar area. “We cannot help doing this as we are left with no other option. The nearest Sulabh Sauchalaya is far from our shops,” he added.
Vithika Gupta, a student, recounted the same problem. “Dearth of public toilet in the market areas is a grim problem. And there is another that is equally grim. The toilets which exist are seldom cleaned. Clean India Campaign does not merely mean establishing toilets in places where they do not exist. It also means cleaning those which exist regularly. However, I doubt whether things would look up, given the nonchalant character of those who are supposed to look after these things,” she added.
