VISAKHAPATNAM: THE most awaited safest beach of Visakhapatnam at Lawson’s Bay has been thrown open to public after . But what prevents the denizens from entering the Lawson’s Bay beach is open defecation, which the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has failed to stop.
The locals allege that the civic body has failed to construct toilets. But, the GVMC waits for behavioural change. and the blame game is on.
It took more than three years for the GVMC to set up a children’s park and other facilities at the Lawson’s Bay Beach in five and a half acres with a budget of `13.34 crore. The authorities laid roads from the Waltair depot till the entrance gate-cum-arch of the beach.
Walking paths from the gate to the park have been beautifully constructed, while the park has many things for the children to play. Jogging paths, landscaping and some chairs have been set up, while some more chairs and lights will be added later. However, the flooring works from the park to the beach have not been completed.
As an eyesore a large drain flows into the beach near the park area. The drains from Isukathota, MVP Colony and a few more areas converge there. People dare not enter the beach with the drain around and there is no boundary wall separating the park from the drain.
Though the GVMC claims that they had posted guards round the clock, none can be seen. But there is no end to open defecation. “Due to lack of proper security, every night many youngsters even from distant areas land here to laze out with booze parties and camp-fires. Broken liquor bottles are strewn around. In the mornings, we cannot come to the beach which has become already dirty,” said V Lakshmamma, a fisher woman from Pedajalaripeta.
Many prefer to do it in the open
Three weeks ago, the GVMC was to conduct an awareness meeting with the local fishermen on the open defecation. An official from the GVMC said that many individual toilets were in construction stage and even if they ask the residents to use the community toilets, few use them. Even many people do not use their individual toilets and prefer open defecation.
“People have been used to open defecation for decades. Many do not use toilets even if they have. Previously hundreds of fisherfolk, especially aged and children, used to defecate at the Lawson’s Bay beach. Now the number has come down,” said a resident of Vasuvanipalem.
Change in mindset needed
GVMC commissioner Pravin Kumar said that they had sanctioned individual toilets to all the households and many are under construction, which will be completed by mid-June. “We have roped in the community to check the open defecation. Most importantly, behavioural change is required, for which we are creating awareness. Once the public starts coming to the beach, the open defecation will end,” he said. On the drainage, Pravin said, “We are planning for a mini-sewage treatment plant (STP) in the coming days to recycle the water. Initially, we thought of diverting the drain water to the STP at Appughar but the volume is very high.”
No toilets for one third of households
While the civic body claims that they had constructed individual toilets in the areas near Lawson’s Bay Beach, the locals say that 30 per cent population still does not have one. “Pedajalaripeta, Yendada, Vasuvanipalem and Shivaganesh Nagar surround Lawson’s Bay beach. Around 2,800 fisherfolk and daily labourers have been living in the areas for decades. Thirty per cent of them does not have individual toilets,” said Teddu Shankar, secretary of Visakhapatnam Fishermen Welfare Community, speaking to Express. According to him, five more community toilets are required.
All renovated
The eyesores