Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS): In a significant initiative, the Maharashtra government plans to make portable toilets for women compulsory at the venues of all rallies and events in the state, ahead of the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections in 2024.
Women & Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare has given a written assurance to a social group campaigning for #HerRightToPee by activist Tirtha Samant through her petition on Change.Org.
Tatkare said that she was in agreement with the suggestion and she would request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar to issue relevant directions to all District Collectors, Police Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and others concerned.
They would be asked to ensure the facility of arranging for clean, portable toilets for women before granting permission for political rallies or events which attract huge crowds, including many women.
The petition, signed by over 2,000, has also urged the heads of women’s wings of all political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena-UBT, Nationalist Congress Party factions, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and others to ensure portable public toilets for women during their political events, especially the forthcoming parliament and assembly elections.
"Tirtha Samant from the ‘She Creates Change’ programme brought to my notice her online petition asking for portable toilets for women in political rallies. I have taken note of this and assured her of appropriate action," said Tatkare.
On her part, Samant said that gender equality begins with the most basic of things: access to a safe and clean toilet at public gatherings and expressed happiness that the state government took cognizance of her plea. She pointed out how lack of clean and safe public toilets for women is a longstanding issue and can prevent health problems like urinary tract infections, kidney diseases and a traumatic experience in public places.
Samant has also urged political parties to consider including a promise in the election manifestos to provide clean and well-maintained public toilets in each village in the state.