Sirsa colony voters express displeasure over blocked sewers ahead of elections

Our Correspondent

Sirsa, May 6

As the Lok Sabha elections approach and politicians vie for votes, residents have been using the opportunity to voice their concerns on various civic issues. In the Kirti Nagar area of Sirsa, residents have long grappled with blocked sewers. Ahead of the elections, they have left no opportunity to express their frustration over the issue to politicians as well as officials of the Health Department. Posters across the colony walls bear clear messages: ‘We reject all political parties’, ‘do not come seeking votes here’.

It is worth mentioning that Kirti Nagar is an area of the city that is more than 40 years old. The people living here have seen the city develop. With time, the population here has increased. With the increase in population, there was also a demand to improve facilities, but the Health Department failed to provide facilities according to the requirements.

People have expressed their anger against the Health Department by putting up posters against them in the streets, too. The posters say, ‘The Health Department is the most worthless.’ People have also warned officials that if their problem is not resolved soon, they will protest outside their office. If that also does not work, they will block the main road, for which the officials of the department will be responsible.

Notably clogged sewers are a major problem in all the areas, including Gali No.3, Ramgali and Prem Gali in Kirti Nagar. Residents of these areas said there had been a problem of sewerage overflowing in the Kaluram Sethi street of Kirti Nagar for the last 15 years. After multiple complaints about the matter the officials have only provided temporary solutions. Waterlogged streets lead to the breeding of mosquitoes, which pose a risk of diseases. Residents have demanded connection of larger lines for sewerage drainage serveal times but so far, no action has been taken by the officials concerned.

Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Kirti Nagar Colony, said the contaminated sewer water accumulated in front of his house rose up to the level of the staircase which made it hard to enter the house. Rajesh said the problem had been going on for a long time and officials had been informed of the situation many times. Additionally, the level of the streets was also made in a way that on rainy days, rainwater went into the sewers and since these were clogged the rainwater remained accumulated in the streets for days at end.

In addition to the city, people in the nearby Begu village are also troubled by the problem of overflowing sewerage and non-availability of drinking water. People say that they have complained to the officials but their problem has not been resolved. Because of this, they have decided to question the party candidates coming to the village, seeking their votes.

The department’s sub-divisional engineer Sandeep Mehta said, “Whenever we receive any complaint, it is promptly resolved. Whether it’s an issue of sewerage blockage or overflow, we ensure a quick resolution.”

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