Demolitions should also toe an empathetic line

(From left) Geeta Chaudhary, Devyani Kape, Ranjana Worlikar, Bhagyshree Kawate and Kirti Babul. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has demolished the toilet of a fish market along the Bellasis Bridge at Mumbai Central. This fish market which is more than 50 years old will also be removed to expand the new bridge.

A fish seller said, in reports, that last week, the BMC demolished the toilet that was being used by the fisherfolk. There are mostly women working at the market. It is impossible to work without access to a toilet as they leave home at 5 am for work.

While the report focussed on how the removal of the fish market would adversely impact the livelihood of the fisherfolk, this edit highlights the removal of the toilet bringing immense hardship to the women still working there.

There should have been greater vision and understanding of the situation before simply removing the toilet. On the one hand, leaders claim there are numerous initiatives to increase the number of public toilets. This paper has had several reports about toilet blocks that have already been built but have yet to open as some important people have to find the time to cut the ribbon. There have also been reports about toilets opening for the public.

Why then, should an existent toilet be done away with? If there was absolutely no option, a temporary toilet could have been stationed somewhere in the vicinity so that women could make use of it. We do have certain heartening measures. Recently, an old bus was repurposed as a toilet and stationed in South Mumbai, near Fashion Street, for women as there was a paucity of toilets in the area.

One has to always look at existent facilities and infra even while demolishing or removing structures, to ensure hygiene and safety. While new development and projects may be necessary, keep the human and humane factor in mind when starting drives for the same.