Heavy rain exposes civic body’s lack of preparedness

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 19

The two-day rainfall has left the city in a mess, exposing the failure of the Municipal Corporation to make arrangements for the rainy season.

Garbage has not been picked from many residential colonies, main markets and major roads for the last many days. The foul smell has made the life of citizens a living hell and it is hard to move around the city. However, Municipal Corporation officials say that it will take some time to clean garbage as the city received record rainfall. A senior MC official said let’s pray that the city doesn’t get rain in the next few days. If everything goes well, the situation will improve soon, he said.

However, the garbage problem is not new in the city. Since officials have turned deaf ears on such concerns, people are compelled to live in bad conditions. The Tribune has reported many times about improper garbage collection system in the city. Even tree branches, fallen due to heavy rainfall, are yet to be cleared from various roads.

The situation has gone worse for commuters as the the already piled-up filth began flowing onto the roads. Garbage was seen flowing in Sirki Bazaar, Civil Lines, Paras Ram Nagar by The Tribune during a random visit on Friday.

“No attempts were made by administration to drain out rainwater. The authorities seem to be helpless in the last few days,” the residents complained.

When contacted over telephone, a Municipal Corporation official who did not wish to be named, said it would take a few more days to address the issue as the city received record rainfall. Low-lying areas were worst affected.

Councillor picks up garbage in his ward 

Heaps of garbage led a Municipal Councilor to pick up garbage from various colonies like Bala Ram Nagar, Bank colony, Shakti Vihar Nagar. All these colonies come under his Ward No.19. Ward councillor Beant Singh Randhawa on Friday hired three workers and a tractor-trolly to pick up household garbage in his area. It cost him around Rs 3,000 and almost six hours for this work.