PNS | DEHRADUN
The Doon Valley Mahanagar Udyog Vyapar Mandal (DVMUVM) will submit a memorandum to the district magistrate Savin Bansal concerning the need for more free toilets at Paltan Bazaar to maintain cleanliness.
The members of the outfit said that installing more free of cost toilet facilities in the sprawling Paltan Bazaar was an imperative, given the poor hygiene conditions here negatively impacting the health of both traders and buyers. Notably, despite the availability of Smart toilets in the main section of Paltan Bazaar, both locals and traders are choosing the corners of the market for relieving themselves.
Earlier, traders in Paltan Bazaar attributed the distant location of the recently installed Smart toilets from their shops and the stiff user charges to the people shunning these and continuing with the traditional mode of responding to nature’s call. And this is what is deepening concerns about the health of those who spend hours here: trading and buying. With the advent of the festive season, things are worsening and it is now the high time when the authorities must install more free toilets. This is what the people here are demanding.
A local Vanshika Negi said that with the volume of foot traffic at Paltan Bazaar surging hugely during this time, they have been putting up with a stench due to inadequate sanitation. “Not just we but the visitors are vulnerable to health risks. This issue must be addressed promptly,” she added.
Another local Praveen Panwar echoed the same view, saying that thousands thronging the market during the festivities are aggravating the hygiene problem. “Sanitation inadequacy is spoiling the shopping experience. The traders are not happy either. The officials should prioritise cleanliness to ensure a safe and pleasant environment for customers and the traders alike,” he added.
Speaking on this matter, the president of DVMUVM Pankaj Mason said that he has been observing shopkeepers and their helpers avoiding the Smart toilets and instead soiling the roads and alleys, compromising the cleanliness of the market.
“My suggestion is that free toilets should come up in adequate numbers across the market. They should be conveniently located. As hygiene is a prime issue for us, we are going to request the DM through a memorandum to have Smart and free toilets installed all over the market,” he added.
