Residents bat for rainwater harvesting

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 22

Residents blame the Municipal Corporation of Bathind (MCB) for waterlogging woes, rather accusing it of negligence and not getting the de-silting work done before the monsoon season. On the other hand, MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and MLA Manpreet Badal indulge blame game instead of offering a solution to the problem.

Residents say that it is time they do not indulge in blame game over this serious issue. Rather the SAD-ruled MCB and the Congress-led Punjab Government should join hands to find a permanent solution to the problem, which has been wreaking havoc on public and government property for the last many years.

Harpal Singh Khurmi, who retired as the Deputy Chief Engineer, PSPCL, said the rainwater harvesting system was the most effective method of recharging the depleting groundwater table. “It will also reduce flooding in low-lying areas due to rain, so we should make every effort to construct rainwater harvesting systems in houses, public places, etc,” he said.

Gian Chand Bansal, a city resident, said, “The people of Bathinda have to face rain fury in the shape of waterlogging or flooding during the monsoon season every year. As a result, it leads to loss of life, livestock and property. Successive state governments have failed to find any concrete solution to this perennial problem and it is people who have to pay a heavy price for the negligence, apathy and lack of strong will on the part of politicians and administrators.”

Gurleen Kaur, a city resident, said, “Over the last 25 years, there has been no let-up in the waterlogging problem in the area. Forget about the areas facing waterlogging in monsoon, one-hour heavy rain is enough to inundate most of the roads for the entire day. While the Municipal Corporation and senior officials keep claiming that crores of rupees are being spent on the drainage system, I wonder what real action is being taken by it.”

Dr Vitul K Gupta, a health activist, said, “Regular de-silting of drains and an effective plan for pumping out stagnant water will be the only solution to the problem. When the drainage system was laid out in the city, the population was far less than what it is now. The ever-rising population is also taking a toll on low-lying areas, which face a flood-like situation when it rains.”

"Last month, the NDA govt had okayed a Rs 48 crore project under the AMRUT scheme for laying new sewer lines to resolve the water-logging problem, besides providing the sewerage system to 5,000 houses in 16 new areas."—Harsimrat Badal, Union Minister

"The volume of rainwater after heavy rain is five times the carrying capacity of the standard drainage system in Punjab. While one has no control over nature, had it not been for the criminal neglect by the Bathinda MC, residents would not have had to face such a situation."—Manpreet Singh Badal, Finance Minister