JAAEN TOH JAAEN KAHAAN?

They say "when you've gotta go,  you've gotta go"...but where? 

We are already in 2021 yet usable Public Toilets even in cities are a distant goal. Safe, Clean, Accessible, Gender Neutral Toilets are simply not to be found. Women, people from the transgender community, persons with disabilities, children, all struggle with the lack of basic facilities. It is a sad joke that women are asked to buy and use some cardboard contraption to stand and pee because our country cannot provide clean toilets. 

It is unfortunate that while our Prime Minister has a sincere vision for a Swachha, Sugamya, Atmanirbhar India, we, as citizens, are unwilling to join in the efforts to make it a reality. 

Cleanliness and hygiene have to be taught in school so that that the few public toilets made available are not too dirty to use. Cleaners must be trained so that they do their jobs well. There has to be a fee for using public toilets or a penalty for leaving one dirty. 

Accessibility is a must for people who may be old, disabled, unwell, etc. Imagine a woman or man with low vision or blindness using a public toilet seat! Imagine a person needing  help from  caregiver of another gender eg: aged father with daughter, a mother with an adolescent son. Imagine a person with dwarfism or a child struggling with the bolt fitted high on the door. Imagine an adult or baby needing a change of diapers. Where are the bins for sanitary pads or tampons? A person from the transgender community does not feel welcome in the men's or women's toilets. Most areas are not even well lit so that users feel safe. The solutions are simple and already available with the government, but the facilities in some of their own buildings are in an appalling state. I wonder how officers incharge of these facilities do not realize the importance of their jobs and how it impacts them and their families too. 

19th of November is World Toilet Day.

Can we reach 1 million signatures in a country of many more millions who are singing "Jaaen toh jaaen kahaan" every minute in search of a toilet, please?