• NET Web Desk

While country is gearing up for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in a large scale, things are quite different in Silchar. Attending the nature’s call might be a tough job to complete if you find yourself at distance from either your home or a swanky shopping mall.

Mostly because of their embarrassing nature, toilets tend to be neglected in histories and of course, the present has not changed much. But if you are to believe historical facts, it seems that public toilets started to be installed widely in the Roman Empire as early as the second century AD.

Be it the tall claims of the authorities or schemes that only exist on papers, at ground zero the pictures tell a different story. Almost no public toilets are installed in the town and in terms of emergency the only respite is some shopping mall or a less crowded lane. That might be digested by men but when it comes for the females, it is the ultimate taboo.

It is a common practice to force stop urination for hours by most working females in town who spend a long duration of the day outside their homes. Not just the taboo factor, but it has some serious health hazards too. Talking to Eastern Chronicle, Registrar of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Tanushree Deb Gupta (MD. Medicine) explained, “Serious health hazards have been noticed in women due to holding back urine for a long period of time. The cases are generally of urine infection, but in some severe cases Pyelonephritis or inflammation of the kidney and renal stone has also been detected.”

“In the past few years, cases of urine infection have tremendously risen amongst the female and unable to hygienically use the washrooms at regular intervals is a major cause to it.” Dr Gupta added.

Nabanita Saha, DMS in-charge at Royal Enfield showroom shared, “Being female employees we face a lot of problems due to unhygienic conditions of the toilets. While in the town the situation becomes worse. Leave aside hygiene; there are no toilets at all. Holding the nature’s call lead to a series of complications and as a female, I believe the civic authorities must take some fast actions to install pay and use toilets for our respite.

Another denizen, Bharati Roy, retired school teacher who have suffered more serious issues regarding the unavailability of toilets said, “I worked in a school in Rongpur area where there was no toilet facilities. This had cost me a double gall bladder stone operation in my career span of over 30 years. I urge the concerned authorities that the issue must be addressed as soon as possible.”