Stink scars city''s beauty

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16

For Praveen, a sweeper, maintaining hygiene in a public toilet at the Sector 20-D market is no less than a battle.

Exasperated by tobacco stains and smoke in the toilet, Praveen pasted a notice on the wall of the bathroom saying those found throwing litter, spitting tobacco or smoking inside the toilet will have to pay a fine of Rs 500.

“I had to pay the price for pasting the notice. Some people even picked up a fight with me when I stopped them from spitting. At a few occasions, I was thrashed for objecting to smoking,” said Praveen.

He said shopkeepers of the market came to his rescue and supported him.

Praveen is like many other public toilet attendants who survive on alms. “The civic authorities should think about us. We deserve DC rate. We are dependent on tips offered by the people,” he said. Khagesh, who has been cleaning the public toilet in the Sector 20-C market for over a decade has a similar grouse to share.

“The people smoke and spit tobacco in washrooms thinking they will never use those again. If they are stopped, they start fighting,” said Khagesh. Public toilets in Sectors 26, 29, 30 and 21-C markets are in a poor condition. Seema Devi, a local, said women preferred using washrooms in shopping complexes as those were clean. In parks also, toilets are in a bad shape. Same is the condition of the toilet near the CBI office in Sector 30. Taps have run dry and the toilet stinks. When apprised of the situation, Executive Engineer, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, BK Dhawan said such an issue had been brought to his notice for the first time. He said he would direct officials concerned to look into the matter.