Pool of stagnant water on vacant plot in Railway Estate worries Amritsar residents

A large pool of stagnant water on a vacant plot within the Railway Estate near the Amritsar Cantonment area has become a major cause of concern for residents. This comes at a time when the Health Department has launched an extensive dengue awareness and prevention drive across the city under its “Dengue Te War” campaign.

The area, popular among morning and evening walkers, is also surrounded by three private schools attended by hundreds of children. Several residential quarters in the Railway Estate were vacated by the Railway authorities months ago, following which rainwater had accumulated and seeped in the open land.

A nearby resident said the stagnant water had now become a severe nuisance. “It has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. Despite repeated requests, the Railway authorities and the district administration have failed to take note of the situation,” he alleged.

Morning walkers Prem Kumar and Mahipal said the Cantonment Park and Cantonment Road attract residents from the adjoining areas including Putlighar. “A large stretch of vacant land in the Railway Colony, Railway Estate and Officers’ Colony is choked with wild vegetation and stagnant water. These pockets have become ideal breeding habitats for insects due to lack of upkeep,” they said.

Gunbir Singh of the Dalbir Foundation said, “Though spraying larvicide at susceptible locations — even in this season — is appreciated, the scale of the problem demands more attention of the authorities concerned. Uncollected garbage, small pools of stagnant water inside and outside homes, and neglected government estates are contributing to the spread of the vector-borne diseases. A door-to-door awareness campaign, NGOs participation, and a strong social-media outreach by the Municipal Corporation could have a far reaching impact on the prevention of spreading diseases.” “Chikungunya and dengue are debilitating vector-borne diseases. They severely affect immunity, as platelet recovery takes years,” Singh warned.

Expressing her ignorance about the issue, Dr Harjot Kaur, district epidemiologist, said health teams would visit the area soon.