Overflowing sewage: It’s Prem Nagar this time!

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 3

The tall claims made by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation about ensuring hygienic conditions fall flat as residents continue to suffer due to overflowing sewage in Prem Nagar.

Residents here, once again, are living under the continuous threat of catching diseases. Sewage gets collected in their streets, vacant plots and outside their houses. The affected area is situated near Dhandari Khurd, where residents are exposed the most to choked sewers.

Residents complain that sewage has been collecting in the streets for the past three weeks and it is hard to cross streets flooded with stinking sewage. The problem of choked sewers returns after a short time and residents this time had pinned their hopes on the new MC House, who, they feel, would pay attention towards their problem. But even after two months, nothing has been done in this regard.

They said sewers remain choked, causing overflowing water to get accumulated in the area. Kaushal Kumar of Prem Nagar said: “There is a need to find out a permanent solution to the problem of choked sewers. Whenever it rains heavily, the condition becomes worst, as the sewage starts flowing into houses. If no action is taken, we may suffer more during the rainy season.”

Area residents also questioned the sewers installed in the area. They want the Local Bodies Department to check whether the size of these pipes was adequate as per the population of the area. A number of vehras (cluster of rooms on a common land) have come up in the area.

Sameer, another resident, said: “We are planning to sell our house due to choked sewers. It is better to shift from this place, as the civic body keeps ignoring our area. The MC employees come to clean sewers but the problem occurs again after a short period. Senior officials should visit the area to find out a solution.”

In May 2017, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had claimed that 90 per cent sewerage lines had choked in the state, causing harassment to residents. He then blamed the previous SAD-BJP government for choked sewers. Even during the tenure of the Congress government, residents of various areas have not got any relief from choked sewers.

Joint Commissioner Poonam Preet Kaur said: “I have already given directions to the officials concerned to take necessary steps to resolve the problems being faced by the residents. I will also ask the staff to resolve the issue of choked sewers at Prem Nagar.”