With relief, misery comes along for city

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 17

The city received 23-mm rainfall on Sunday morning, which led to waterlogging in various low-lying areas.

Commuters faced problems while passing through the waterlogged areas of the city.

This rain exposed the tall claims of the Municipal Corporation of Bathinda regarding its preparations to tackle waterlogging.

The areas that are badly affected are the women’s police station road, Power House Road, Ajit road, roads outside the DC and SSP’s residence, Gurunanakpura Mohalla, Paras Ram Nagar, Mall Godam road, Sirki Bazaar and others.

To tackle the waterlogging problem during the monsoon season, the Sewerage Board and the MCB have claimed that they are fully prepared and desilting of drains and sewers has been done, but the rain has also raised questions over the claims.

Councilor from ward number 5, Sukhdev Singh Brar said no desilting of drains and sewers had been done in his area.

As the monsoon season is approaching, he demanded that the work should be done at the earliest.

The 30-minute downpour on Sunday submerged many city areas.

Gian Chand Bansal, a city resident, said the monsoon was yet to arrive but the pre-monsoon spell of rain had put a question mark on the steps taken for the disposal of rainwater, which had already affected low-lying areas.

Another resident Vikrant Garg said “I failed to understand why no concrete action plan has been prepared and more pumping motors are put into action at crucial points such as Power House Road and Sirki Bazaar, when every time we face such problems.”

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath, along with MCB officials, visited waterlogged areas to get the rainwater disposed of at the earliest.

Year after year, the problem returns to haunt commuters, with each season turning more horrendous than the previous.