Farmers At Tikri Border Battle Winter Chill & Lack of Toilets

At Tikri Border, lack of basic amenities like water and clean toilets is making it tough for protesting farmers.

Meeting basic needs of water, sanitation and toilets have become very tough for protesting farmers.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint/Arnica Kala)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Video Producer: Maaz Hasan

The sit-in protest against new farm laws is now entering its second month. Lakhs of farmers, who were stopped near Tikri and Singhu borders, are fighting not just the bone-chilling winter, but poor sanitation, especially for women and the elderly.

At Tikri Border, meeting basic needs has become tough for farmers because of poor sanitation and lack of clean toilets. As toilets don’t have seats, older people are finding it very hard to squat. For women, privacy is a major concern as most of them are having to defecate in the open, many times without curtains around.

Farmers have made makeshift toilets but those, they say, are not a permanent solution. Their anger is towards the Delhi government that despite promises, it is not maintaining sanitation. While portable toilets have been deployed by the government, farmers say they are too dirty to be used and the water runs out in just 1-2 hours.

During menstruation, for example, water required to maintain hygiene is not available in sufficient amounts.

Portable toilet provided by Delhi Government.(Photo Courtesy: Jaspreet Singh)

Farmers from Punjab say they are thankful for the farmers from Haryana and a few other locals who have lent a helping hand.

“When we came here, there were major problems in the first 2-3 days as there was no water. Then, farmers from Haryana came with water tankers. Drinking water was provided by the people of Haryana, who understood the problems of the farmers.”

Kaldeep Kaur Kussa, Farmer

As sanitation facilities are deteriorating, there is a fear that diseases may spread, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Protesting farmers have made makeshift toilet.(Photo Courtesy: Jaspreet Singh)

Despite the troubles, the elderly and women are as undeterred as the others, and say they won’t back down till laws are rolled back.

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