No discrimination in use of urinals, says Haryana

CHANDIGARH: In a welcome decision on Monday, the Haryana government announced that women should not be made to pay for using public urinals. The measure, though belated, came on a day when TOI highlighted the discrimination against women, who are forced to pay up for using services which are provided free to men.

“We are thankful to TOI for highlighting the issue. We would draft a policy for providing better toilet services at all bus stands. At the same time, we would also ensure that there is no discrimination on the basis of gender for using the facility,” said Samir Mathur, Haryana transport secretary. A meeting would be called within a week to finalise all the modalities related to the issue, he added.

Toilets at bus stands are mainly maintained by the Haryana roadways and private contractors. However, at some places, these are operated by NGOs. While women are charged indiscriminately, men are made to pay only for defecating.

While people like Shakuntla Jakhar, a woman activist who said no fee should be charged from women for urinating as well defecating, have welcomed the move, sources in the government pointed out that it would be difficult to maintain such urinals for free.