Residents face tough time as water enters houses in Khuda Lahora

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, August 23

Residents of Khuda Lahora Colony faced a tough time as water entered their houses while they were asleep around 1 am.

They said around 80-100 houses were affected as water from the Patiala ki Rao choe entered their kitchens and rooms.

“It came from storm water pipes. The choe has not been cleaned due to which the water entered here. We could not sleep the whole night as we are trying to drain sofas and beds. Inverters of some of the households were also damaged,” said Rajinder Singh, a resident.

People were seen draining out the water. The police were also called after which they made an announcement asking people to go to their terrace to protect themselves. “Most people, however, came out of their houses. There was a little help from authorities,” said another resident.

Mayor and area councillor Raj Bala Malik said, “We immediately rushed MC teams after we received the information. All 22 drainage pipes were clogged with sand and other floodwater debris. We have now got them cleaned.”

She said, “No prior warning of floodwater being released from upstream in the choe was provided. Also, the MC has time and again requested the Administration to clean up the Patiala ki Rao choe so that clogging of pipes doesn’t happen, but to no avail.”

Several areas inundated in Panchkula

• Panchkula: A few areas were inundated after heavy rain that lashed the city on Sunday.
• Buddanpur, a densely populated slum, was waterlogged as downpour took the residents by surprise.
• RP Malhotra, president of the Federation of Resident Association, said, “Panchkula hasn’t taken any step to deal with the problems that arise after rain. Not even a single road gully is cleaned in the city. There was knee-deep water inside our house and we had to seek refuge.”