Aarav Gupta

Middle School Finalist, Grade 7
Aldie, Virginia

The Neglected Public Conveniences of India

An amateur named Raj reports to work every single day. He walks through 5 kilometers of Delhi’s blistering heat for the betterment of his family. He cannot afford to use public transportation due to his financial situation. He cannot even use public conveniences due to the fees. He risks heat stroke and bladder infections just to put a roof over his family’s head. Many Indians live the life of Raj, and it is alarming.

India has a serious problem regarding their public conveniences. Although the Swachh Bharat mission has addressed the issue of open defecation and urination, the bathrooms are still in poor condition. According to an article from Undark, a couple of women from Mumbai share their story about how the washrooms in Subash Nagar are unsanitary for women and are better suited for men. One explains that the men’s washroom on the upper floor is of higher quality, as the ceiling “leaks on us at times - it’s disgusting.” Sangeeta Pandey, one of the ladies, saw a pregnant woman faint in the bathroom due to long lines from a lack of stalls and no bathroom for people with disabilities. 

She claimed she could not do anything, and “It was humiliating.” 

At one point, local ladies would meet up and discuss how they would stop drinking water and hold their bladder just to avoid using the Public Conveniences. This can lead to many problems, such as UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). Hence, one of them explained that they had a case of UTI in the past due to this behavior. 

Even I and some of my family members have experienced and seen these conditions, as my grandmother stopped using public conveniences due to these conditions, which led to her urinary tract infections. During my recent trip to Delhi, many public conveniences were set with fees and had a horrid scent. This prompted me to hold my bladder until we reached our destination. Like me, many Indians also experience this problem, especially the 250 million Indians below the poverty line. 

I have developed solutions to address this problem. I would like to establish a non-corrupt and non-profit organization that raises funds through fundraisers and enhances public conveniences in support of the Swachh Bharat mission. These funds will come from social media advertisements and sponsorships. 

  1. Fees for the public conveniences will be eradicated:
    People of all classes are entitled to use the facilities provided by the organization. 

  2. Addition of handicapped and family stalls:
    Just like the story of the lady in Mumbai, all public conveniences will hold stalls for people with disabilities and families. These stalls would be better equipped for them, containing safety rails and baby changing stations. Stalls should also be built equally for each citizen. 

  3. Increase in employment and decrease in unsanitary conditions:
    The organization will hire multiple janitors to maintain the facility, addressing the issue of unsanitary conditions and reducing unemployment rates. 

  4. Air conditioning:
    India is renowned as one of the hottest countries in the world, with temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit. These facilities will be equipped with properly working air conditioning to prevent citizens from heatstroke. 

  5. Air dryers:
    As climate change continues to rise, one-time paper towels are no longer sufficient. Air-powered hand dryers get the job done while being environmentally friendly. 

Overall, India faces many problems regarding their public conveniences, and action should be taken immediately. These issues include fees, non-accessibility for disabled citizens, unsanitary conditions, unemployment, health problems, and contribution to climate change. With a non-profit organization, India can improve their public conveniences so all citizens feel safe using them while being environmentally friendly.