Page 30 - 31OCT2019E

Open defecation

across Delhi

suggests

the capital

is not so clean

Thousands of homeless voters scattered across Delhi are bereft of their basic rights to live
with dignity that includes access to sanitation and clean toilets, reports pari saikia

he day breaks every day for dreds of people, how is this even possible of being bitten by snakes and insects
Seema (27) much ahead of to wait for several minutes when nature while defecating in the open. “I have seen
the dawn time. No, she is not calls?” Seema asked me with an expres- snakes twice while defecating in the
an early riser, but if Seema sion of annoyance before continuing, bushy areas. The snakes are the regular
T doesn’t reach the only latrine “Jab tak number ayega, sab nikal jayega visitors in out jhuggis, imagine, how can
available in her jhuggis before everyone (It would be too late for you to control by you not expect them in their territory.”
queues up, she will have no choice but to the time you have your turn). That is why Talking further to this reporter,
defecate in the jungle or a nearby field. I have set up a timetable for myself.” Neelam says, “The politicians have visited
“I hate that feeling of defecating in For 25-year-old Neelam, walking 300 our jhuggis a dozen times and seen that
open but do I have a choice of a latrine?” meters daily away from her jhuggi to spot there is an urgent need of 10-12 toilets,
asked Seema. a clean location for relieving herself is a which they promised to us in return of
Seema, who lives in the congested herculean task as the fields are strewn our votes. Where are these toilets?”
Kisan Colony slum located near Kashmiri with faeces. She would curse herself The reporter then asked, “So, will you
Gate, Delhi, says that she and her family every time she has to relieve in the even- vote..?” Before I could finish my question
have never seen a clean toilet. Unfortu- ing as men would loiter in the dark and Neelam quickly intercepted, “No. First
nately, there is only one mobile toilet van watch them while they defecate. give us (to politicians) toilets, improve
for more than 500 slum dwellers of Kisan “Some men would stand on the flyo- our living condition then come and ask
Colony. The single toilet van that stands ver to watch us shamelessly while we for votes.”
in the slum today was installed only two are defecating in the open. They won’t Here, Ali is quite hopeful that this
months ago in 16 years, claims Seema. be off until we are done. These men are time, he and his people from the bastis
The toilet is in the extremely poor condi- not from our Kisan Colony jhuggis, oth- of Yamuna Khadar will eventually get
tion for use as it lacks in cleanliness and erwise, we would have taught them a les- permanent lands or houses. Recently, as
water supply. son by now,” says Neelam with angst. Ali shares, some BJP volunteers took sig-
“We have only one toilet here for hun- Neelam even shares her trepidation natures from the basti people on a form

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