Civic body’s apathy in ensuring basic facilities at the dharna venue is creating inconvenience to nearby residents
Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) which aims to make the city open defecation free has however failed to provide toilet facilities to protesters at designated dharna locations in the Capital.
Significantly, the civic body’s apathy in ensuring basic facilities at the dharna venue is also creating inconvenience to nearby residents.
“The government provided a dedicated dharna place at Lower PMG. So, the civic body is bound to provide necessary facilities for the protesters at this location. Normally, during the time of Assembly session, the location draws large crowds and women often approach the places of nearby residents for using their toilets,” said BK Behera, a resident who stays near the dharna location.
In fact, hundreds of ASHA workers who reached the capital Monday also criticized the civic apathy.
“We have the right to protest and the government has declared this as a dharna place, respecting that right. So it is the duty of BMC to provide basic facilities here. However, the corporation has arranged only drinking water facilities,” said Rashmita Parida, an ASHA worker.
Interestingly, the corporation, which recently announced its plan to upload the location of public toilets on Google, glossed over the need for the same at this crucial location in the Capital.
Public toilets are available at Bhubaneswar Railway Station and Indira Gandhi Park. However, these toilets will not be sufficient to cater to the needs of hundreds of protesters reaching Lower PMG. With the corporation failing to provide necessary facilities, a group of protestors have on their own created temporary toilet facilities at this palace.
“It is really shameful that women have to manage the nature’s call in open places. In fact, those who speak of women’s rights and dignity should visit this place to understand the civic apathy,” said a protestor who has availed of the temporary toilet facility.
When contacted Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena told Orissa POST that toilets are under construction.
“The foundation for public toilets has already been laid at that location. It will be ready before January 26,” said Jena.
However, legal experts questioned this lethargic attitude of the civic body.
“Every citizen has the right to protest and the constitution respects this right of the citizen. So, the corporation is duty-bound to provide basic facilities like water and toilets at the dharna location at the very time it got slotted as a designated dharna place. Therefore, it’s unclear why the corporation has not arranged that so far. In fact, the corporation should at least arrange portable or temporary toilets at this location rather than wait for the toilet works to complete,” said Gyanendra Kumar Tripathy, high court advocate.
Human rights activists also raised concern on this issue. “The civic body has to provide necessary facilities to protect the rights of the protesters. Failure to provide that amounts to human rights violation. This apart, adequate lighting should also be there to ensure the safety of women protesters,” said Manoj Jena, core group member of National Human Rights Commission.
Jose K Joseph, OP
