Sewer pipes laid in middle of Kangra roads

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 7

The Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department has laid water and sewer pipelines along roads in Kangra which may lead to contamination of drinking water supply in many areas of the town.

Since the water and sewerage supply lines were laid almost in the middle of the road, vehicular movement remained disrupted for a month in the town. A PWD official said they had asked IPH Department officials to lay sewer pipelines at a depth of at least 5 feet but the supply lines were laid in the middle of road where heavy traffic plies every day.

In case the depth was low, vibrations from vehicles passing over the road would cause leakage in water pipes. The leakage would be harmful in case of water pipes as these would carry drinking water, the official said.

IPH officials, however, dismissed the apprehension. They maintained that the joints in water and sewer lines were made with modern technology that could resist any kind of pressure.

Officials of the PWD and IPH have been writing to the state government to make provisions for laying permanent concrete ducts along the roads for laying of water and sewer pipes. The idea has not been cutting ice with the state government as it involves huge funds. Officials have proposed outsourcing of construction of ducts in some areas of the state.

However, that was possible only after the state government clears a policy regarding it.

Till then, residents will have to cope up with unplanned and unscientific laying of water and sewer pipes that poses inconvenience to the people.