Mumbai, December 31: We are in the 21st century and no matter whether you are in a metro or a tier-II town, women across the country face the issue of finding clean washrooms on the road. The public toilets or the Sulabh Sauchalaya get closed at a specified time or are in the most unhygienic conditions. A Twitter user based out of Mumbai recently shared her experience of not finding a single place to relieve herself while driving back home to Sewri at 12 in the night.
The woman shared that she went to McDonald's to use the washroom, but was not allowed. The Sulabhs were not an option for her because they get shut by 9 pm. She then headed to Dadar branch of MSRTC where again the women's toilet was bolted shut. She requested them in desperation and used the urinal as 'someone lurked outside'. No Women's Toilet in TN Government Office, 24-Year-Old Employee Dies After Falling into Septic Tank After She went to Relieve Herself at a Nearby House in Kancheepuram.
Here's about her experience:
Amazing how last night while driving back home to Sewri at around 12, I couldn't find A SINGLE place to pee in Mumbai.
All restaurants were closed. @McDonalds REFUSED to let me in to use their toilet. Sulabhs usually shut at 9pm. WHERE IS A WOMAN SUPPOSED TO GO?
— (I'm done)ⁿ (@Shayonnita15) December 31, 2020
Mc Donald's responded to her tweet asking her details about the store and her contact address so that they could look into the matter and take immediate action.
Here's what McDonald's tweeted:
We would like to get this checked. Request you to share with us your contact number, email id, and exact store's location via DM so that we can address this matter ASAP. https://t.co/EnXzZQQGsw
— McDonald's India (@mcdonaldsindia) December 31, 2020
Earlier this month, Saranya, a 24-year-old government employee working as the warehouse manager at the Kancheepuram agriculture development office, died after felling into an undisclosed septic tank. Since her office lacked toilet facilities, the deceased and her colleges were forced to use toilets in the nearby buildings and houses. She went to an under-construction house nearby to relieve herself.
Similarly, women at the farmers' protest site are also facing a tough time due to the lack of clean washrooms available. The unclean temporary toilets have forced the protesting women to either use empty plots or agriculture fields nearby. It is really disheartening that the problem of access to toilets, which is just a basic need of every woman continues to be ignored.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 31, 2020 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).