Kathmandu, March 31

Sanu Babu Thapa, a 45-year-old tempo driver, said his job had become more difficult as there weren’t  enough public toilets in Kathmandu Valley. The problem is even worse for female public transport drivers.

A female tempo driver who did not want to be named said it was especially difficult during her period. “There aren’t adequate numbers of toilets, and the toilets available are extremely unsanitary,” she complained.

Environmental engineer Surya Man Shakya said the capital requires scientific urban planning to combat this issue. “The number and dispersal of toilets should be based on varying population density and distance,” he said.