Powai resident get death threats by Shiv Sena leaders over toilets

Pawan Pal points to the public toilet in Jay Bhim Nagar Powai which is filthy and in need of repairs PicsSameer MarkandeWhen Jay Bhim Nagar resident Pawan Pal raised a stink about public toilets in his area he was given piss poor treatment Pal had approached a local newspaper to talk about the two public loos one of which is unfinished while the other is filthy and awaiting repairs after he failed to get a response from the local Shiv Sena corporator and the BMCPawan says residents prefer defecating in the open rather than using this grubby toilet in Jay Bhim NagarBut the move backfired as Sena workers sent him death threats once the article appeared Pal has now filed an FIR against three of them Last year a public toilet in Gautam Nagar was demolished for repair work However it is still has not been reconstructed and moreover the work on the proposed loo has been stalled for the last two weeks The other existing public toilet in neighbouring Jay Bhim Nagar is extremely filthy and many citizens prefer defecating in the open rather than using it The poor condition of these toilets exists despite the BMC having received a revalidation for the citys open defecation free tag just a week agoConstruction of the toilet in Gautam Nagar has been stalled for the last two weeksNo toiletSpeaking to midday Pal said The toilet in Gautam Nagar was demolished in December last year The reconstruction was on and the plinth work had been completed but recently work was stopped without any reason Currently there is no toilet in the Gautam Nagar areaThe loo in Jay Bhim Nagar is in a pathetic condition to say the least The doors are broken and most of the time the drainage is choked due to poor sewerage The lack of toilets is affecting around 1000 local residentsThreats over articlePal who is a law student had approached the local BMC office and Shiv Sena corporator Chandravati More about the toilets Failing to get a response from either he went to a local newspaper with his grievances After the article appeared in the paper blaming More and other Sena leaders local party workers got angry and threatened to kill PalHe further said After the article appeared in the newspaper on July 10 Sena shakha pramukh Manish Nair threatened me over the phone Next day three more party workers came to my house and verbally abused me They asked why Id given the names of the corporator and Nair in the paper They threatened me with further consequences if I pursued the matterFIR registeredBut Pal is not surrendering to their threats He registered an FIR on July 12 against Sena workers Abdul Khan alias Chhotu Kameel and Harshvardhan Ghadge at the Powai Police station under sections 452 Housetrespass after preparation for hurt assault or wrongful restraint 504 Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace 506 2 criminal intimidation and 34 common intention of the Indian Penal CodeReacting to the FIR Nair said All three people against whom the FIR has been registered are Sena workers But Pawan and Chhotu know each other and I am not aware what led to the fight between themBooked under false casesSena members even threatened to book me under false cases In fact they even approached the Powai police station and registered an NC against my father and me on Thursday Pal addedPal said his motive behind demanding the toilets was to support Prime Minister Narendra Modis campaign Jaha Soch Waha Shauchalay under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan which encourages building public toilets in order to end open defecation Non availability of toilets was causing inconvenience to the women in the vicinity as they had only two option ndash to either go to the pay and use toilet or defecate in the open