1. Kashiwadi/Bhawani Peth - Pune
Community Composition: Heterogenous, but mostly Maharashtrian based.
General Description: Located in the heart of Pune city where most commercial
enterprises are based, Kashiwadi is a huge slum area that also has a newly constructed
building complex where slum/ juggi jhopadi dwellers from fire-destructed slums are
being relocated to.
Sanitation Situation: The toilet we visited in this location is a ladies toilet, with three
stories. There is a gents toilet on the other side of the building. Two floors have toilets,
while the top is a barsati where the female caretaker’s brother lives. The caretaker lives
a short distance from the toilet. The first floor of the toilet was used, albeit a bit dirty.
The second floor was unused, and there was furniture and other items being stored
there. There are four more community toilets in the Kashiwada area, according to the
caretaker.
Top Reasons to Choose This Location/Unique Aspects:
1. The only (for-women) toilet we saw that was maintained by a woman (caretaker)
from the community, but the top-floor barsati was inhabited by her brother.
2. On being quizzed about why the second level of the toilet block was shut - the
caretaker said that it was because the bottom level was sufficient enough for the current
population of women using it. This is the first time we have ever seen a floor of the toilet
being shut because there are not enough people using it.
3. Since this is a huge relocation area, there might be an interesting mix of people from
different areas to talk/interact with.