Mumbai: Every year on November 19, the world observes World Toilet Day, advocating dignity, hygiene, and the right to a clean toilet. But in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, that message feels like a cruel joke. Here, queues for toilets never end, the stench never lifts, and what the rest of the world calls a “basic right” becomes a daily battle for time, safety, and privacy.

According to Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) norms, urban areas should have one toilet seat per 35 men and 25 women. Dharavi’s reality is far from this benchmark. A recent report by Praja Foundation, which studies Mumbai’s slum conditions, reveals that 86 men and 81 women share a single toilet seat every day. Public toilets remain shut between midnight and 5 a.m., forcing women and adolescent girls to skip meals or avoid

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