The Hindu 10.11.2010
‘Dhobi ghat’ lacks basic facilities
Sruthisagar Yamunan 
In dire need: Despite repeated petitions, the ghat at T.V. Nagar lacks infrastructure.
PUDUCHERRY: Despite several petitions and representations made to authorities concerned at the Puducherry Municipality, ‘dhobis’ at T.V. Nagar are still living in poor condition. Their rooms lack power connection and they have now been rendered jobless as the officials did not replace a broken motor pump through which they draw water for a living.
Inaugurated in 1973, the ‘dhobi ghat’ now has six families with close to 20 members. The washermen said that the motor pump through which they drew water for washing clothes had stopped working in August and was later removed by municipal authorities. They were promised a new pump but there had been no action from the officials for over two months now.
According to Vadivel, this affected their work badly and women at home had given up washing clothes and started working as domestic help. Their daily income had come down from Rs. 300 to Rs. 150, he said.
Apart from lack of water supply, the rooms they lived in were in dilapidated condition. During the recent rain, water started seeping in through the walls due to cracks. Some of the washermen left the rooms fearing a collapse. They said that not a single repair work had been done in the building since inauguration 37 years ago. The ghat also had no lighting and toilets facilities.
Councillor of the ward and member of CPI(M) S. Rajalakshmi said that despite raising the issue at several council meets, the municipality had failed to act citing lack of funds. She said that the families continued to live in the ghat as they could not afford a better place.
When contacted, Municipal Commissioner Ashokan said that the rooms in the ghat were supposed to be used only for storing purposes. It had been converted into a living place by the families and they were now demanding separate power connection, which was not acceptable. But, the washermen said that they had been living in the rooms since 1973 and the authorities had not raised such objections to this date. Mr. Ashokan also said that a new motor pump would be installed at the ghat in two days to facilitate drawing of water.
