DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, Nov 20: Diglipur in North Andaman faces a stark reality – acute shortage of public toilets. On a visit to the main bazaar, one find himself at the receiving end of unbearable stink and ghastly sight people urinating in the open at almost every nook and corner of the streets – a picture in stark contrast to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission. The biggest sub-division of these islands after Port Blair with a population of over 50,000 and a massive market sadly has only one public lavatory tucked away at the end of the market place. But the lone facility is in bad shape due to poor maintenance by authorities concerned.
According to reports, four toilets exist in the Samity Shopping Complex, two each for Men and Women. However, due to lack of water connections and a small septic tank, the toilets remain shut most of the timely. Only few shopkeepers in the complex have access to the toilets and prevent them from being used by the general public.
Moreover four toilets in the administrative building are used exclusively by the office staffs. Due to lack of a permanent safaiwala in the building and scarce water supply, the general public are prevented from utilising the facility. The toilet facilities in the Panchayat building at Subhashgram also remains closed for general public due to water supply issues and staff crunch.
More than 7 Express Buses and 40 local buses ferry about 1900 passengers to Diglipur on daily basis. Besides several others visit Diglipur by private vehicles. In the absence of adequate toilet facilities at Diglipur bazaar, people are seen in every corner of the streets relieving themselves and people are forced to bear the stench emanating from various parts of the bazaar.
Women are the most affected due to the state of affairs. They plead before Hotel and Lodge owners to allow them use the lavatories in their premises. The lone toilet in the bazaar, constructed in the 80s, is poorly maintained. People desist from utilising the facility and prefer to loo in the open.
“Several promises by local politicians and administrators over the years have fallen flat on all counts in this regard,” bewail some residents while speaking to Andaman Sheekha.
Even as Health experts claim access to toilets, particularly for women, is key to sanitation, the administration of Diglipur, it appears, has decided to foil the Prime Minister’s bid of a Swachh Bharat by 2019. The PM will definitely face a mountainous task to make his pet project a success in Diglipur. The situation is such that generations of Diglipur will pass waiting for the constructions of adequate toilets at Diglipur bazaar.
The administration should act promptly to address the issue. In the interim, existing toilets in the Administrative Building, Samity Shopping Complex and Panchayat building should be thrown open for public use. Efforts should also be made for appointment of regular safaiwalas, providing water supply at the facilities etc for the benefit of the masses in the region.
