Caught short? Tinsukia's 'Name and Shame' drive wins public backing

Residents of Assam's Tinsukia have thrown their weight behind the Municipal Board's controversial move to display CCTV footage of people allegedly caught urinating in public, saying stricter enforcement is needed to tackle the long-standing civic problem. However, many have also stressed that the crackdown must be accompanied by better public sanitation facilities.

The reactions come days after the civic body began displaying CCTV footage of alleged offenders on LED screens across the town. The move followed an earlier attempt to deter public urination by installing large mirrors at several hotspots, a measure that failed to stop many offenders.

Speaking to the media, residents said open urination not only creates unhygienic conditions but also causes inconvenience to pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren.

Many described the public display of CCTV footage as a necessary deterrent and appealed to people to respect public spaces.

Residents also noted that Tinsukia is a major commercial hub that receives a large number of visitors every day. They urged the Municipal Board to install more pay-and-use as well as free public toilets at key locations, arguing that stricter enforcement alone cannot solve the problem without adequate sanitation infrastructure.