Villagers irked over loopholes in pipeline-laying work at Kumbhra

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 21

While the drinking water pipeline of village Kumbhra is being changed by the Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC), the residents of the village are upset over the carelessness in the ongoing work there.

The residents complain that joints of water connection of several houses can be seen placed in open drains, full of filthy water. “Whenever there will be any leakage in the joint, chances of contamination can spread. This is sheer carelessness on part of the contractor,” said Balwinder Singh Kumbhra, a resident of the village.

Another resident, Gurnam Kaur, also former Block Samiti member, alleged that when the matter was brought to the notice of the contractor, he did not pay attention to it.

The residents alleged that the village had been facing problem of water contamination for past several years due to the same problem (lying of drinking water pipeline in drains). The residents had also staged protests in this regard several times.

“We have already suffered a lot as breaking out of water borne diseases in the village was a routine. With having replacement of the pipeline, we have taken a sigh of relief but now again seeing the blunder (joints of water connections in drains) again, we are upset”, said Harbans Singh and other residents. When contacted, Mohali Mayor, Kulwant Singh, admitted that the work of laying the pipeline was not being carried out properly. “I have already issued instructions in this regard to the officials concerned. Everything would be done properly now”, said the mayor.