Tipplers turn toilets into ‘bar’, deny access to women of Thideer Nagar

Govind Murugan, Convenor of Dhagam Foundation, said that most of the women in the community have no access to toilets. 

“As a part of our campaign called Aval, where we are working towards women’s welfare, we conducted an audit there. There are 500 to 600 families living in Thideer Nagar and there are only six toilets for the entire community. The residents said that out of these six toilets, two are always locked and others have turned into a haunt for men to drink. The toilets have not been maintained as there are no water tanks and the taps are broken. Alcohol bottles and other garbage are dumped inside these toilets. Due to a lack of toilets, most of the women say that they defecate in the open late at night or utilise a pay-anduse facility,” he explained. 

Vasanthi, a homemaker in her 30s, said that the toilets are not serving their purpose. Since they are used as a drinking joints by men, she said that there was a danger to the women in the community. 

“Even if they renovate the toilets, the lack of maintenance would result in a similar state of disrepair. Men drink there and tease the women who go there. We want the Corporation to remove these toilets and ensure a safe environment for the women in the community,” she added. 

A senior official from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) conceded that some of the toilets are not in use due to a lack of maintenance. “There have been reports of toilets not being used due to lack of hygiene. We will be renewing these toilets immediately and will ensure that they are well maintained,” concluded the official.