Old Habits Die Hard! Where There is a ‘Wall’, Men Go For Nature’s ‘Call’?

Old Habits Die Hard! Where There is a ‘Wall’, Men Go For Nature’s ‘Call’?

Mangaluru: As the saying goes “Where there’s a Will, There’s a Way”- but here I have my own slogan, “Where There’s a Wall, Men Go For Nature’s Call?”. No matter if you have e-toilets or regular toilets in Mangaluru, people still like to urinate openly- Old habits Die Hard? Imagine for a growing city like Mangalure, with floating population increasing day by day- the MCC installed five e-toilets, which is far from believing that it would really serve towards the needs of the commuters who are looking for toilets desperately. Mangaluru needs more than just 5 e-toilets, it needs quite a few regular toilets too- in order to keep the City clean, Swachh Mangaluru!

The common sense among the citizens is different- even if there are e-toilets or Sulabh toilets, they would rather pee openly than use these facilities. I bet how many people have used the new e-toilets that were launched recently- probably not many. You can see men urinating wherever they want to, specially behind the walls. But its sad to note that women have to suffer and hold their bladders till they reach their homes/destinations due to lack toilets in Mangaluru. One one place you can daily watch men urinating behind/at the wall is opposite to the Service Bus Stand (wall located on the road between Nehru Maidan and Service Bus Stand)-every five minutes there will be either a bus driver, conductor, laborers, passengers, and others men quickly using this “Wall” to hide themselves, while relieving themselves? The whole stretch of road stinks of urine-and its unbearable. Has the MCC noticed it? Not a “Smart Scene” for a “Smart City”?

And while India is gearing up to celebrate its 71st Independence Day on 15 August, it is very unfortunate that the rapidly-modernising India still remains home to the world’s largest number of population where open defecation is practiced. As the saying goes, ” When you need to go, you have to Go?”-but in India, including Mangaluru,”-when you desperately need to go, you can’t go”, as there are no toilets available handy. Thousands of people will be going to witness Independence Day celebrations at various venues soon, but in emergency cases if someone wants to use a toilet, you’ll hardly find a permanent toilet-even in such kind of programmes the organizers don’t even bother to provide portable toilets, like the one held at Nehru Maidan every year.

What tempted me to write this article prior to this patriotic day is because I just found out the government and district officials are planning on constructing a few toilets on National highway-that would be a good idea-but the problem faced later are keeping these toilets in running conditions or usable conditions, and also maintaining these toilets, as we all know the pathetic condition of the City public toilets – One has to cover their noses while entering these pee pits? Civic amenities such as toilets, drinking water, phone re-charging etc should be a must at petrol bunks on the highway for the benefit of travelers-but that’s very much lacking here. One of the most difficult things encountered by commuters/citizens here is lack of toilet facilities.

A mini market with Food Court and decent clean toilets accompanied by a petrol pump & parking space will surely greet and welcome lots of motorists. These really will attract the tourists, they know they are welcome and will be well looked after. Few days ago I visited my friends place in Madikere, and stayed there overnight-next day early morning I saw Usha, who washes dishes at my friend’s place, picks up a canister of water and heads to a nearby meadow to attend nature’s call. No, no, I am not reciting any story but, this is a stark truth that she told me. Usha stays at a small cottage house near by to my friend’s estate. Out of oddity, I further asked her as to why does she defecate in the open? To which she giggled and humbly replied that she does not have a toilet at her house. It was eccentric for me to know that she still does not have a toilet in her house. This is just one story of the Indian postcard as millions still defecate in the open everyday.

It makes me giggle and at the same time feel awful whenever I see modest foreigners who travel either by road or railways and gazing at the scruffy roads or railway tracks which have become open defecating ground with human feces all over and happily presuming it to be part of ‘Incredible India’. But, the question arises as to why do people relieve their innards in the open in India? Is this practice of pooping in the open a fixed behaviour pattern of certain communities? Or do people in India in general lack sanitation awareness?

I know many steps have been taken in this direction to keep a check on this practice- like Swachh Bharath; But, it is important to realize that this alone will in no way turn out to be a magic bullet in solving the problem. The problem is much graver. It has been observed that people change their habits for some time of not defecating in the open, but then again return to the same old practice. But why?

A major reason could be that most of them don’t have access to a ‘Sulabh Shauchalaya’ (public convenience) close to their place and hence they have to walk everyday a few miles to attend to nature’s call. Yes, it happens only here, where you can easily find a shopping complex or a fast food shack, but no place to pee. It’s not just the situation in rural India; don’t you and I encounter the same problem while travelling on highways as one can hardly find any public convenience and we usually end up looking out for a gas station to unburden ourselves. The issue of open urinating/defecation is very crucial. States and central govt spend lot of money through them, but constructing environment-friendly toilets still a dream. Many of us will not live to see the end of such an evil practice.

We are boasting to be developed nation by 2020, but the reality is still, in 2017, we still lack in lot of basic front…. we can not depend upon government for each and everything. There is something called self -governance by individual and local responsible bodies. We ourselves have to take initiative, but we always look at government to start something for us..we need to change our mindset. education is key ..

So, coming Independence Day, let us be free from the shackles of our ‘old and burdened’ habits and make India a heaven where every child and adult is ‘healthy’. It is the responsibility of every Indian to support the open defecation free program by government and development partners. We need to stop open urinating/defecation for next gen kids those are shoulder of India. Prevention is better than cure. Culture also plays a part, but Independence struggle is also responsible. Let’s work together for a Clean India! Clean Mangaluru!

Also Read Related Article:

When You Got To Go, NOW You Can Go! E-Toilets Open in City

Mangaluru: Holy Shit! Looks Like Panambur Beach is the New ‘Toilet’ Destination for Early-Morning ‘Poopers’

Holy Shit! That’s Not Smart, MCC ignoring Defecation on Beaches