Adilabad: Toilets locked, drivers use the road

SEETHAGONDI (ADILABAD): The National Highway 44 from Adilabad to Hyderabad appears to be an ideal example of how open defecation can continue on despite providing alternate facilities and attempts to raise awareness.

For the drivers and cleaners of trucks and private vehicles, open defecation is a commonly accepted practice along the NH-44. They do not use the toilets constructed along the highway by the National Highway Authority of India saying that they are not maintained. There would also be no water inside.

Most of the drivers park their trucks by the roadside and go for open defecation while chewing tobacco and smoking. One can see the dirt on either side of the National Highway.

Some truck drivers and cleaners are also seen spending some time by the roadside cooking their food and having their meals before resuming their journey. Some others have their food at roadside dabhas after attending natures call by the roadside. The roadside dabhas do not have toilets and customers need to go to adjacent agriculture fields or bushes for toilets.

The NH-44 authorities have never been bothered about the open defection along the National Highway. They have been neglecting the maintenance of toilets run by them.

The authorities can prevent open defecation along the National Highway by taking firm steps for proper maintenance of toilets run by the NHAI.

Truck driver Raghu Veersingh of Maharashtra admitted that most of the truck drivers and cleaners prefer open defecation and hence look for open place to attend natures call as they chew tobacco, gutka and smoke while attending natures call.

He said it was also fact that most of the times, the toilets run by the NHAI were seen locked or else there will no water available in them.