By ending March, three lavatories will come up in the town : EO MC Sopore
WARIS FAYAZ
Sopore : The government’s much hyped Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has fallen flat in North Kashmir’s Sopore township of Baramulla district due to lack of public toilets.
The absence of public conveniences has become a source of trouble to people, particularly to women. Despite being the commercial and administrative hub the town lacks public toilets.
With thousands of people visiting main town Sopore daily, people find it difficult to answer nature’s call as there is not even a single toilet facility in main markets of the town.
Often, people can be seen easing themselves on drains and open spaces even after government claims spending crores of rupees on the promotion of flagship schemes like Swach Bharat Abhiyan.
Hundreds of people including students, employees and shopkeepers turn to washrooms of local mosques in the absence of toilet facility. “The authorities during all these years did not even try to construct any public toilet here. We did apprise the municipal authorities number of times about this issue but no one is bothered to solve this matter,” said local shopkeepers.
The worst sufferers for the want of a clean toilet are the ladies, who could be seen easing themselves on roadsides. “While the men use toilets constructed near Masjids or restaurants, the women have to be silent sufferers.
A shopkeeper near main chowk told Inside Kashmir that in absence of toilet facility people have found an open spot where they are easing themselves.
Similarly another shopkeeper at Chota Bazar told, we on daily basis witness that how people visiting town are suffering due to non availability of the public convenience especially woman folk.
We have to take them to nearby residential houses for easing purpose this is so, as town doesn’t have any flush point in the market.
Meanwhile Executive Officer Muncipal Council Sopore, Sameer Jan told, three flush points will come in the town soon at three locations, Iqbal Market near MCH Sopore, Shahabad near Main Chowk and at Amargrah Crossing.
Official further told, it will be completed till ending March.