It seems funny, but it isn't - The story of "Latrines"

Pristine · October 15, 2000, 8:30am

This appeared in The News. For those of you who live outside Pak, this may seem incredulous, but factually this article is quite true and shameful. This, my friends, is the story of “Latrines”!

If you are unaware, there appeared quarter page ads in national dailies a week ago, that this week we will be celebrting “Laterine Building Week”. For us, the baffled readers, it didn’t make any sense. Till now. For the full article go to:
http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/oct2000-daily/13-10-2000/oped/o3.htm

The following excerpts are interesting:

**Except for a handful of higher hotels, clean bathrooms are quite unheard of in Lahore. Whether they are in marketplaces, mosques, restaurants or workplaces, very few are bearable. Other than shocking one’s sense of cleanliness, they are fatally hazardous to the health. Public toilets are nightmares, the discomfort being just one side of the story. They are in such bad shape that they ooze of infections and contagious diseases. The spread of hepatitis in Lahore has taken epidemic proportions. And lack of sanitation and hygiene is the prime cause. The greatest punishment that comes to mind would be sending someone to the Liberty Market “Bait ul Khula” or for that matter any public toilet. They’re deadlier than dungeons.

So it isn’t surprising that the masses of Lahore resort to making their own roadside toilets whenever required. It’s not uncommon to see a row of “toileteers” squatted up against a wall or garbage dump. The city is virtually becoming a wasteland. Isn’t it ironic that animals as basic as cats seek privacy to relieve themselves whereas the highest of creation humans have no shame?

Isn’t it a pity that where Islam preaches purity and cleanliness as one half of faith, it’s followers leave no stone unturned to pollute? Since portable toilets haven’t yet been evolved for adults, solutions to emergencies are limited. Though roadside “toileteers” can’t be blamed totally, they do paint a disgraceful and embarrassing picture for onlookers.

Western nations fine people for animal litter. It’s not a pleasant thought that in some respects we, as a nation, are worse than animals.**

Anyone, any thoughts…

rizwanfareed · October 15, 2000, 10:41am

ohh man that is sick
man the best thing is just use the toilet in your house
u cant take the risk of pissing or sh****ng in these public toilets man
but its only in some parts of lahore and other cities but some parts are alright
but if they dont sort this prroblem out when u get heavy rain or some thing like that then the amount of dirt that will be washed all over the place will cause serious problems i.e. health problems

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