Pahalgam is one of the beautiful places situated in the charming valleys of Jammu and Kashmir and well known for paradises, Greenfield, and beautiful rivers. Something that anybody, who is planning their trip to Kashmir, is aware of is that Pahalgam is one of the most popular places for visitors. However, the area faces a significant challenge that affects the overall tourist experience: Such complaints are familiar to one’s ears more often than necessary due to inadequate availability of public washrooms and toilets. This issue is very deep ranking and has a broader implication to society especially in as much as it concerns the females, the juniors, and the seniors as well as the specially-abled person.
The main problem, that describes currently available public washrooms in Pahalgam, is the scarcity of their numbers. Although the current general outlook of the public toilets can be described as wanting, they are hard to come by and therefore cannot contain the numerous visitors that throng the area. This is especially the case when visitors come in large numbers at certain periods of the year, the status of toilets worsens as many people form long queues and are forced to relieve themselves in uncomfortable positions. This shortage degrades the quality of enhancing the tourism experience but on the same token public health is compromised and people exchange feces on the streets thereby polluting the environment.
Another issue of interest worth exploring here is the conditions of the public washrooms that are freely accessible to the public. Some of the available toilets are partially accessible to persons with abilities and disabilities. They are largely located in districts that are not closely associated with tourism, the implication is that several visitors will not locate these structures easily. Even more worrisome is the capability of these restricted facilities being situated in areas that are not assessable by the general public or many visitors, especially for a first-timer.
As for the population with disabilities, the problem is even more severe. Very few check and change points located in the Pahalgam area provide facilities for public use that are also not friendly for specially-abled persons. There are no indications of ramps, handrails, or other accommodations that would enable the mobility impaired to use the toilets conveniently. The absence of these facilities means that a majority of people in the lower Physically Challenged category are completely locked out from the beauty that encompasses Pahalgam.
Due to the absence of public washrooms in Pahalgam, women, children, and elderly people are most vulnerable. The lack of clean and safe toilets affects women most of the time because of the unavailability of proper toilets. Lack of decent washrooms negatively impacts the lives of many women as they either suffer pain or use unclean and sometimes dangerous facilities that may lead to health complications. Concerning the safety of women, their safety in Pahalgam cannot be fully guaranteed due to the absence of toilets for women. Due to the lack of adequate facilities, women have no other option than to use the nearby vegetation or common toilet, making them easy prey for attacks like harassment and assault.
A child and an old man, who mostly feel the need to get into the restroom often, also don’t benefit from the facility. Families reported that due to the absence of easily accessible and clean toilets, an otherwise fun trip to the beautiful Pahalgam deteriorates into stress and the families avoid going there or spend limited time there.
There are worrisome hygiene and sanitation issues since there are a limited number of public washrooms in Pahalgam. This is because when individuals are forced to practice open defecation, not only does it escalate the degree of filth in the open spaces but it can also be a very dangerous infection zone. Lack of social sanitation entails a negative transfer of health implications, polluting water resources and affecting the well-being of the local inhabitants as well as tourists. This is very shocking and may lead to a decline in the number of visitors visiting Pahalgam, which in turn affects the economy of the region. They should also have leadership commitment and involve local communities to improve cleanliness as well as the accessibility of washrooms in visitor attractions to attract more visitors and those visitors to stay longer. On the other hand, the current scenario of the area is that it may even push away potential tourists which will limit the number of earnings through tourism revenue.
However, the environmental degradation which is a result of poorly installed public washrooms cannot be overemphasized. It is disgraceful that while exploring the scenic beauty and fantastically picturesque environment of Pahalgam many visitors are compelled to defecate in the open, thereby contaminating the environment with all the consequences that have been the hallmark of the territory. Dropping litter on the ground or in any water bodies can defile the environment and therefore possibly lead to the death of some animals who might have been dependent on those water sources. Such type of pollution poses great consequences on the environment, with chances of eradicating the culture of conserving the environment and the sustainable development of the tourism sector in this area.
The Need for Immediate Action: To solve the problem of the scarcity of public toilets in Pahalgam a focused and integrated action at the same time, in which the local and central authorities as well as tourist companies and I think business organizations should take the necessary steps. First of all, the presence of suitable public toilets in Pahalgam is scarce and therefore, there is a dire need for more public toilets. The situation as it is today has resulted in congestion and a general lack of enough facilities to absorb the number of tourists visiting the country. The construction of more public latrines at the right locations in this region is very essential. These restrooms should be located conveniently in such a way that there is equal distance between the tourist attractions, thus making it easy for the majority of the visitors to use without much struggle and convenience maintenance of the general public.
In addition, the education system to be effective needs to be accessible for everyone or as many people as possible. Public toilet facilities should be built in a way that there is provision for the disabled. This entails erecting ramps, handrails, and other facilities dependent on the needs of the physically impaired person. While narrowing down the public spaces that need to be made accessible for people with a disability, consideration should be given to the fact that properly equipped restrooms will not only improve conditions in Pahalgam for disabled people but will also contribute to the overall increase of comfort for disabled tourists which in turn means that they will not have to endure unnecessary trouble whenever they go to Pahalgam. Also, one cannot overemphasize the importance of proper and frequent cleaning and maintenance of public washrooms. To achieve acute levels of cleanliness, it is mandatory to adhere to fixed practices for cleaning these facilities. The restrooms should always be in good condition and for this to be possible enough human and material resources should be availed to maintain the restrooms.
Hygiene recreational centers will not only contribute to the satisfaction of the visitors but will also reduce the spread of diseases and destruction of the beauty of the Pahalgam environment. The creation of facilities for women and children also should be made, which will further advance women’s status in society. This will encourage most women and children because of the facilitation as well as the assurance that they would be safe from other persons of the opposite gender. Whereas, it seems that women need to have safe and private areas to go to, while children sometimes may need help from adults. Separate facilities will fulfil these needs. Also, it is necessary to carry out public health awareness crusades. Promoting awareness of the use of public washrooms and hygiene among the tourists and local community is useful in preventing open defecation and its related impacts on the environment. Some of the awareness measures can be made through the website, Facebook accounts, and airing programs on a local radio station, information bills at susceptible places such as tourist-rich areas. The above course of action will enhance the observation of good hygiene standards hence improving
the overall cleanliness and health of the environment.
However, it is possible to find sources of funding with the involvement of the private sector, which will make it possible to solve the issue protractedly. Appropriate calls for private organizations and venture capital firms to venture into the improvement and construction of public restrooms can go a long way in the improvement of these facilities. The private sector means opportunities, money, and experience to make restrooms impeccable, clean, and up to par as possible.
Finally, a sample sentiment analysis of the tourists should also be done. The collection of feedback on the status and availability of public restrooms when due can assist in identifying troublesome areas and courses of action. This feedback can be obtained through suggestion/complaints boxes and from online pages. Consequently, understanding the peculiarities of tourist requirements would enable authorities to make appropriate adjustments, thus improving the quality of tourist-serving facilities and the experience of tourists in Pahalgam. There is a severe deficiency of sufficient public washrooms in the area of Pahalgam which poses a major drawback in the overall impact on the tourist experience, public hygiene and sanitation, and the health of the environment. Solving this problem entails a more profound strategy, which includes escalation of funding on infrastructure projects, provision of facilities for all persons,
and the provision of reasonable standards of washing and disinfection. Thus, if Pahalgam follows these steps, it will develop a perspective of the leading tourist center and give numerous tourists a comfortable and healthy stay.
The author has completed an MSW from the Department of Social Work, UoK. He can be mailed at waniimran169@gmail.com.
