MARGAO: The two toilet blocks built under the Open Defecation Free Scheme are now used by the fruit vendors as a store room in the Chinchinim market, despite public facing hardships due to no toilet facility in and around market area.
Speaking to Herald several citizens of Chinchinim expressed anger over the issue and urged the Village Panchayat Chinchinim to look into the matter at the earliest.
"Put in use the toilet blocks or provide facilities," demanded TMC leader Adv Antonio Clovis da Costa.
A visit to the market recently, it was exposed that both the blocks were left incomplete by the concerned agency, without putting them in use. There was no water and electricity connection, and hence the public could not make any use of the blocks. However, it has now created major objections to the vendors selling fruits and vegetables in the market, but these vendors make best use of them by storing their goods inside the blocks.
One of the vendors said that the pathetic situations of the two toilet blocks have been seen for the last few years, despite knowing that there is no other toilet facility in the market.
“Hundreds of people visit the market on a daily basis, and they find it very difficult to search for the toilet. Keeping it unutilised is a waste of taxpayers’ money, and hence the concerned authority or the local panchayat needs to look into the matter,” the vendor urged.
TMC leader Adv Da Costa charged the local representative for ignoring basic facilities such as toilets to the public of Chinchinim market.
“This is one of the basic necessities but what we see here is unexpectable. The toilet blocks are built but left incomplete without water and electricity connections,” he stated.
He further urged the local panchayat to complete the pending works and put in use or demolish the blocks, which are creating a major obstruction to the public coming to the market.