SHILLONG: Some residents in Paltan Bazar are fuming over the demolition drive conducted in the area as it had left a public toilet damaged.
The residents said the incident happened on Friday morning when personnel from the Shillong Cantonment Board came to the locality to demolish an alleged illegal structure, but at the same time they also damaged the public toilet.
“We don’t have any problem with any demolition drive conducted for illegal structure but they were trying to demolish even the public toilet and it was only after a lot of hue and cry that they stopped,” a resident said.
Residents also said around 200-300 families in the area are dependent on the four public toilets and people, particularly women, are affected.
According to the elderly residents, there were around 30 toilets in the past.
The families stay in rented houses and are not allowed to build private toilets.
A resident said there are old people in the locality and they will face problem if the toilets are demolished. “We live in an unhygienic and disgusting condition. There is no water in the toilets and we have to fetch water from outside.Also, there are women and girls. It is a difficult situation for them,” he added.
The affected locals said toilets are being demolished to build a park for children. The residents had earlier met members of the Cantonment Board seeking their intervention in solving the problem of lack of toilets but with no result.
But most of them are scared to even discuss their problems.
The Shillong Times tried to speak to members of the Cantonment Board but calls remained unanswered.
