Shillong city, which prides itself as a sought-after tourist destination, has, surprisingly, little facilities to cater to the tourists.
Several tourists, on their first visit to the city, were surprised by the lack of toilet facilities on the over 100-year-old Guwahati-Shillong national highway.
The only place where they could relieve themselves were the line hotels and eateries at Nongpoh, which have set up toilet facilities for the visitors, even though these are well below the hygienic norms.
These tourists, however, were in for even greater shock when they discovered the absence of public toilets across the city.
Residents of the city have, for long, demanded for public toilets in certain areas of the city thronged by the public, but so far all these appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
Though the residents have acknowledged the presence of toilets in parking lots, they feel that there is a need for setting up of more public toilets in prominent areas of the city.
A gentleman remarked that the authorities could try and work out system of makeshift toilets seen mostly in New Delhi and south India.
“I have witnessed that the Pondicherry Municipality has placed makeshift toilets in various parts of the city within its jurisdiction. The municipality there cleans these toilets at least twice a day,” said the gentleman, who had recently paid a visit to Pondicherry.
Ladies are the worst affected for want of toilet facilities.
Many residents have said that though petrol pumps in the city have public toilet facilities but those are hardly used by the public. Petrol pump owners, on the other hand, reason that the toilets are meant for their staff and car owners who purchase fuel from their pumps.
Several tourists reasoned that the government here can lay “pay and use” public toilets in cooperation with private or local bodies. “This is also a mode of earning for the unemployed youths which is practiced in other states,” said a tourist from Sikkim.
Meanwhile, the Director, Urban Affairs said, “All our parking lots have toilet facilities but in other places there is hardly any space for public toilets.” Apart from the space factor the Director also pointed out other problems regarding setting up toilets in public places.
“Public objection is always there whenever the government attempts to create such facilities. Secondly, if it is not maintained properly than nobody is going to use it,” said the Director, while pointing out that the authorities had earlier demolished a public toilet at Quinton Road since it was ill-maintained.
Though there is a lot of scope for improvement in the public toilets in parking lots, they are still usable he said, adding that there is a need for engaging manpower to maintain such toilets.
On the highway scenario, the Director said that there are many restaurants all along the highway which should maintain good toilet facilities. “The restaurants are not making proper toilets. People have to be taught to do these things,” he said.
“Creation of toilet is possible in the highway but not necessarily by the government,” the Director said.
“There are two options – either the government sets up these toilets or the private sector has to be engaged. There is so much going on about promotion of tourism but there is no proper urinal in place in tourist sites like Sohra. The government can encourage the private sector by giving them some incentives,” said the Director.
He also referred to local problems in roping in organizations like Sulabh International which are running toilets all over the country, saying that there were objections to engaging these organizations here by local groups.