HYDERABAD: IT is a well known fact that women often have to wait to relieve themselves on a bus journey or while on a commute, due to lack of rest rooms or poor maintenance of the existing ones. But that is not all. Even women advocates who spend most of their time in the courtrooms in the city revealed that avoiding using washrooms on the court complexes is a common thing as not just the toilets, but the area leading up to them is filled with stench.
The rooms allotted for them to take a breather are often crowded. This also pushes them to step out or wait till they reach home to relieve themselves. G Supriya, a lawyer who deals with civil and criminal cases, said that there are limited washrooms on the Nampally Criminal Court premises.
Another lawyer who deals with civil and criminal cases said on conditions of anonymity that there are limited washrooms on every floor. The Bar Association resting rooms, which have washrooms, are usable, but not enough in number. “The common bathrooms which are used by thousands on a daily basis are poorly maintained and the stench pervades the air,” she said.
Our observation, while visiting the Nampally courts, too was the same. If an individual has to relieve themselves, she has to follow the stinking pathway leading to the washroom. Inside the washrooms, wet floors make it difficult to navigate.
All the four washbasins are filled with cleaning articles as the taps don’t work. However, the toilets are clean and there is water facility. “If we are having our periods, there is no way we can use the toilets or change,” said Spandana Sasashivuni, who deals with cases filed under the POCSO Act, and has been practising for the last 19 years. Both of them, on several occasions, had to wait for hours before they reached home to relieve themselves.
The same is the case with City Civil Court premises located in Diwan Devdi. Sagarika Loya, who deals with family issues and divorce cases, shared that the thought of using the washrooms is a nightmare. Pipes and other articles stocked up in the washrooms is common.Besides this, there is water all over the place, she said. “The commodes do not have seats. Women do not use washrooms just to urinate and that fundamental point is never considered,” said Loya. The doors do not have proper latches and some of them are even broken, she added. Representations were sent two years ago, but to no avail said Loya.