JAMMU: These days the shopkeepers as well visitors and passersby in one of the city most posh locality-Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar are forced to urinate in open due to sudden closure of a well maintained Sulabh Toilet by Jammu Municipal Corporation.
Closure of public toilet located in hub of activities without
application of mind has created a situation of unbearable inconvenience especially for women because if they’re menstruating and there is an emergency, it’s difficult to manage, said Bhumika Gupta, visitor to office of PDD located opposite to closed Sulabh Toilet in Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar.
Reliable sources in JMC revealed that the authorities was adamant to close the public toilet in question as the illogical demands was purely based on lies also in contravention of PM’s Swachh Bharat Mission. But, coerced to order its closure as the same was strongly desired by the Mayor.
This is one of the oldest public toilet constructed by JMC almost 23 years ago and there was no Mandir around it, the shopkeepers of Mini Market, Green Belt park, Gandhi Nagar said, “Mayor shouldn’t act in haste on lies projected by self styled illegal auto stand union and unscrupulous Toofani Patarkars and instead rely on facts for arriving at plausible decision”.
In past, the JMC authorities has repeatedly foil attempts of those who used to construct a tin shed like structure upon encroached nallah adjoining Sulabh Toilet seemingly to operate business of donations exploiting religious sentiments, said Surinder Sharma.
It is learnt that on two accounts, the JMC administration has dismantle encroachment upon nallah adjoining public toilet in this area.
The Jammu Municipal Corporation especially Mayor Jammu deserves recognition for such a abominable decision which brings back open defecation by undermining the most prestigious project –Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sarcastically added a Ramesh, shopkeeper of the area.
Astonishingly, when JK Global News asked Mayor Mayor Jammu, Rajinder Sharma about the compelling circumstances to shut a 23 years old public toilet at breakneck speed, surprisingly he said “These are small things. Don’t bother about these ordinary matters”. Channelize your energy and efforts for projecting bigger matter of much public importance, he advised the author of this news story, he added.
Pertinent to mention here that, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan is a most prestigious project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched in 2nd October, 2014 to eliminate open defecation which is one of the main causes of children deaths in thousands each year and unhealthy India. SBM laid special emphasis on construction of public toilets in designated locations such as tourist places, markets, bus stations and railway stations.
Questioning the closure of public toilet, another shopkeeper of the area namely Rinku said, “The Mayor ordered closure of a toilet at behest of a microscopic non stake holders who are operating illegal auto stand on encroached road and exploiting religious sentiments of public with misrepresentation of facts to keep intact their religious ATM machines camouflaged as “Mandir” on garbage carrying nallah”.