Anna University Lacks Enough Toilets for Girls at School of Architecture And Planning
There are three toilets in the new block, one for girls, one for boys and the other for those with disabilities. All of these were opened six months ago, but now they are locked.
On November 19, individuals celebrated World Toilet Day. It is a day dedicated to creating awareness amongst the people regarding the need to have toilets. While educationists, human rights activists and many popular faces have shared the need and advantages to having toilets, some places still lack this necessity. Famous institute in Tamil Nadu, Anna University is one among them who do not provide enough toilets for its students. Yes, to pee or not to pee is one common question that girls at the School of Architecture and Planning at Anna University ask themselves. World Toilet Day 2018: Importance of This Day and the Need to Tackle Global Sanitation Crisis.
In a recent report by TOI, the university students have reportedly complained about the lack of toilet facilities at the campus. Even if there is, the girl students will have to walk long, holding their pee, which is affecting their health. A first-year student from the college was quoted in the same report as saying, “There are 600 students including 350 girls on campus. Girls have to share the four cubicles in the restrooms with women faculty which is at the end of the old block because the one toilet for us is not functioning anymore. But the men have more than thrice the number including four near our classrooms.” The ratio is one toilet for more than 70 women (students and faculty). World Toilet Day 2018: Are Indian-Style Toilets Better for Your Health Than the Western-Style? 7 Ways Why Squatting in the Loo Is Better.
Annoyed with the lack of facility, the students had written to the dean several times demanding more toilets. However, the management only had disappointed students saying that it was not possible as there was no adequate water supply. There are three toilets in the new block, one for girls, one for boys and the other for those with disabilities. All of these were opened six months ago, but now they are locked. The students now have to walk down two floors and go all the way to the old block to pee since their classes have been shifted to the new blocks.
The Indian Standard Code for Basic Requirement for Water Supply and Sanitation, states that there must be one water closet for 25 girls and one for 40 boys in non-residential educational institutions and one for every six girls and one for eight boys in residential institutions. Sadly, nowhere is the ratio maintained for students or the faculty members at the college. The dean of the School of Architecture and Planning was quoted in the same report as saying, “The toilets in the new block are locked because students are on holiday. Now they have exams. If we keep it open, construction workers will use them. They break taps and soil the toilets. But I don’t know why students are complaining now. I am sure they are being instigated by external forces.”
It is known that toilets are essential to ensure cleanliness and hygiene. In order to comply with the sanitation standards, it is compulsory to set up toilets for everyone’s access. When the college has constructed enough toilets, we fail to understand why they are locked. The students have exams and if holding pee for a more extended period is not a good sign for anybody’s health.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 20, 2018 05:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).