Two years on, newly-built public toilets in Pernambut remain idle

In Pernambut town, many newly-built toilets are not yet opened for public use more than two years after their construction and toilets meant for the differently-abled are lying idle without water connection, according to official sources.

Kumaresan of MGR Nagar said, “We have repeatedly petitioned officials to open the toilets built more than two years ago, but to no avail. They remain locked while we are forced to defecate in the open.”

“Women are the most affected as open defecation means we can do so only before sunrise or after sunset which affects our health,” added Selvarani of the same area.

The toilets built at a cost of Rs 10 lakh were completed in 2017, but have been remaining locked. The facility was meant for use by the 2,000-odd residents of MGR Nagar, KK Nagar, Kalaignar Nagar, JJ Nagar and Majid Nagar in the town. Another, who did not want to be named, said, “When we threatened to take the issue to the top brass of the municipal administration department due to government money being wasted and the facility not serving the target people group, local officials told us to do whatever we could that they would not be affected in any way.”

Another case in point is the toilet built for the differently-abled at Kothapalli, two km away. “The toilet cannot be used even if it is repaired, for the simple reason that it lacks water,” said local resident Kannan. The toilet bowl is also broken and weeds have sprung up everywhere and hence it is now the area for the nocturnal activities of local anti-social elements, he added.

When the local press went into the issue a year ago, officials said the facility was in working condition and even had some locals pose next to it to prove their point. But, the situation has not changed for the better.Town Congress president G Suresh Kumar, when asked, said, “The total apathy of the department can be seen from the fact that no top department official has initiated any action on this issue till now. Action should be taken at least for wasting government money.”