Women must await nightfall to relieve themselves in flood-affected Shahkot

Hundreds of women trapped across 18 villages near Lohian Khas have been forced to wait for nightfall or early dawn, when everyone else is asleep, to go relieve themselves.

Women trapped in the marooned villages of the flood-affected Shahkot sub-division in Jalandhar and those taking shelter on the roadside are faced with the inevitable question of propriety when it comes to attending Nature’s call.

Women have been forced to use flood water to clean themselves in the absence of soap or clean water. (HT Photo)

Hundreds of women trapped across 18 villages near Lohian Khas have been forced to wait for nightfall or early dawn, when everyone else is asleep, to go relieve themselves.

Women who were evacuated on Friday shared their ordeal of toilets being flooded as most people only had single-floor houses. They have been forced to use flood water to clean themselves in the absence of soap or clean water. Most of them haven’t had a bath or brushed teeth in four days.

Manpreet Kaur of Gatta Mandi village, who was evacuated on Friday, said there is one dry place in the village where women go for toilet in the night, wading through deep water. But fear of being bitten by reptiles and snakes looms large, she added.

Rajni Rani said she faces a double challenge as she has to take her two daughters along sometimes to the make-shift toilet. Children are the worst sufferers, she said.

Bachan Kaur of Darewal village, who took shelter on the roadside on Lohian Khas–Makhu highway, said people are always about during the day and so they must wait for it to get dark to go relieve themselves. Her neighbour women said sometimes they have to wait for more than 12 hours at a time.

Meanwhile, the men said they too are facing similar problems. Kishan Singh of Jassupur village said the toilet of their house choked even though it was on the second floor, due to which the entire family has to attend Nature’s call in the open. Kashmir Singh of the same village said they run the risk of falling prey to vector-borne diseases, including malaria.

People vacate village due to obnoxious smell-

People who were trapped in the villages began leaving their houses, opting for evacuation instead, due to the obnoxious smell that accompanied floodwater. The army and the National Disaster Relief Force stationed at Gidderpindi village have evacuated around 100 people, most of them suffering from health problems.

The district administration says they have been providing proper medical arrangement to the affected people and teams are deputed at all times, but the situation on the ground remains grim and unhygienic.