Five days on, Dhandari Khurd streets raise a stink

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 27

It is not Italy’s Venice, which is also known as ‘City of Water’. Actually, it is Ludhiana’s Dhandari Khurd where sewage flows on streets every morning and evening. The Municipal Corporation has failed to find a solution to overflowing sewers in the area for the past five days.

There is no relief for residents living on Dharamshala Road and adjoining streets of Dhandari Khurd. Despite the tall claims of the MC, the situation has worsened in the area day by day. It is difficult for residents, especially elderly persons and women, to step out of their houses with sewage flowing right up to their doorstep.

A group at the Dhandari Khurd market said the MC employees visited the streets but they had been ‘unable’ to find the cause of overflowing sewers till Sunday afternoon. They removed silt from the manholes and dumped it nearby. The waste removed from the sewers is flowing back into the manholes.

The residents demanded super suction machines be pressed into service to clean blocked sewers. They also accused the factories of dumping their waste into sewers which led to clogging of sewers time and again.

The flooded streets have become slippery. “It is hard to breathe with stinking sewage flowing on the doorstep. Sometimes, it flows into our house. The government is doing nothing. We don’t know who is our MP or MLA as they never visited here to know how we are living in such poor conditions. We are poor people that’s why we are neglected,” said Geeta Rani.

“The pedestrians, who have to wade through flooded streets, are complaining of skin problems. Besides, the risk of an outbreak of disease remains high. There are high chances of water contamination as sewage can get mixed with water supply. We never saw either the MC Commissioner or the Mayor visiting our area,” said Surinder Singh, another resident.

Members of the Guru Ravidas Youth Sports and Welfare Club, Dhandari Khurd, said the MC employees visited the area but there was no relief from overflowing sewers. “Our area is always neglected. Sewage has been getting accumulated in streets since Wednesday but no concrete measures have been taken by the authorities concerned. If there is an outbreak of disease, the MC should be held responsible for it,” said chairman of club Sucha Dhandari.