Pre-monsoon rain exposes poor sewerage

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 21

Pre-monsoon rain in Jammu has exposed the much-hyped underground sewerage system laid under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission as overflowing manholes spilled dirty water on the roads. The project executed by the National Building Construction Corporation and the Economic Reconstruction Agency has been facing problems from the onset.

Jammu received about 47 mm of rain during the past 24 hours which led to waterlogging in several low-lying areas of the city despite functional sewerage line. Residents in several localities in the city demanded investigation against the executing agencies for the flaws in the system.

Problem was more acute in localities around the New Plot-Janipur area where water was overflowing on the roads creating problems for residents. The initial work on the sewerage system was started in 2007 but since then it has jumped several deadlines, with allegations of corruption and nepotism in allotment of projects compromising quality.

“The road was dug up for laying the sewerage system. It has not been repaired and this additional problem of waterlogging has created a havoc with no relief in sight,” said Gulab Chand, a resident of the Janipur Doordarshan lane.

People were angry with the Public Works and Public Health Engineering departments for their failure to carry out necessary repairs of the damaged infrastructure, especially the water pipes.

Similar reports came from other parts of the city where the modern sewerage line had been laid.

“The government should initiate probe against agencies and officials involved in the project since 2007. The sewerage line was laid in our area in 2014, it has been dug at several places during the monsoon season. Is this the way the government plans to make Jammu a modern urban centre,” said Master Gopal Dass, a resident of Sarwal.