ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, April 19: While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is strongly advocating for clean India movement to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to make country open defection free, shockingly the Itanagar Capital Police Station, which was constructed way back in eighties, is running without a common public toilet and the structure which is currently being used is enough to suffocate anyone who accidentally steps inside to answer “natures call”.

Recently the state government said that it would become the new torchbearers of Swachh Mission among the states and announced to make Arunachal ODF free one year ahead of the national target of October 2, 2019.

However seeing the pathetic condition of PS Itanagar, one can say the government is being way too optimistic.

It is an embarrassment on the part of state government including the state Home Department that it wasn’t able to provide even a common toilet to the personnel discharging their duties day and night and for the facility which also handles various high profile cases and sensitive cases.

‘If this is the “state of affairs” of Itanagar Police Station then what may be the conditions of police stations in the districts,’ said one visitor who unfortunately had to use the non-existent amenities.

The multi storied Police station in under construction for last three years and is yet see signs of completion while the present building is also in shambles and on the verge of collapse. 

The Police Station did see a ray of hope in getting toilet facilities when Former Chief Minister Late Kalikho Pul had come inspecting and had directed for construction of a toilet within ten days, but then that was not to be. With his untimely demise, so did the aspiration.

SDPO, Techi Henyir herself confessed that the more than 100 police personnel especially women police officers have become regular victims. She pointed out that a clean and hygienic toilet is need of the hour adding ‘now even visitors complain about it.’

Shockingly, when contacted DGP, Sandeep Goel said expressed his apology but maintained that he was not aware about the condition as ‘no one complained about it to him earlier.’

Since government is sending strong messages to all states to maintain Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and Swacch Bharat Mission and on the other hand Itanagar is also fighting for the coveted title of smart city, the DGP said that the government needs to take care of the police force in the state when it to comes to sanitation in line with other states.

.However he assured to look into the case on priority and said alternate provision of toilet may be provided within fifteen days.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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