Mahalingapuram residents seek construction of public toilets

COIMBATORE: Residents of Ramasamy Street in Mahalingapuram near Vellalore have urged the Coimbatore district administration to construct public toilets for them, citing lack of basic facilities and serious health and safety issues faced by them.More than 250 families, belonging mainly to the Scheduled Caste (arunthathiyar), have been living in the area for more than 20 years. The govt had allotted to them pieces of land, measuring a cent each, with pattas. However, the residents said the plots allotted them were too small and so they built houses without attached toilets. As a result, they are forced to practise open defecation in nearby bushy areas.T Surya, 35, a resident, said, “For the last 20 years, my family has been forced to practise open defecation in nearby abandoned land full of uncleared bushes.” She added that the govt had recently cleared bushes in the abandoned land, taking away the only choice they were left with. “The state govt should build public toilets for us," she said.Balamani M, 31, a mother of two children, said she should accompany her 11-year-old daughter into the bushes every night. “Young girls like my daughter face difficulties, especially during periods. We use only phone lights or a torch. Anything can happen to us and the children, creating a completely unsafe situation at night,” she said.Residents reported frequent snake sightings, both inside their houses and outside.They raised concerns over the contaminated drinking water supply and the smell emanating from the Vellalore dump yard. They alleged that chicken and meat waste continued to be buried in the dump yard.Vellalore town panchayat president V U Maruthachalam said, "There is no land available in the town panchayat limits; so we have to acquire land from the Coimbatore corporation. Only then we will be able to construct public toilets for them. But despite multiple requests, there has been no response from the corporation."