MoS pulls up Ambala MC over clogged drains

Ambala, June 30

Minister of State for Transport and Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel today pulled up the officials of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ambala, over the tardy drain cleaning work in the city.

Last year, the residents of Ambala City had suffered heavy losses due to severe waterlogging during the monsoon season. To check the preparedness, the minister inspected the condition of drains underneath the Ambala-Chandigarh road and in several other areas of the city. The drains were clogged with silt as the cleaning work had not been carried out properly.

Unhappy with the situation, the minister inquired the MC officials about the work and directed them to clean the drains and remove the silt at the earliest.

The minister said he would check the point, where the silt was being dumped and get the silt measured to assess the work done. Meanwhile, the officials failed to give satisfactory replies to the minister.

Officials of the Ambala MC, Public Health and Engineering Department, PWD, Irrigation Department, HSVP and other departments were present during the inspection.

Goel said, “The monsoon season is approaching and directions were issued to the departments concerned to ensure that the drains in their respective areas are cleaned so that water flow is not disturbed. Along with the officials of several departments, we have inspected the drains in the outer areas and the stormwater drains in the city to check the preparedness.”

He further said, “Some issues have come to our notice and the officials have been told to ensure that the city was free of the problem of waterlogging in Ambala City.”

“The Irrigation Department has been strengthening the embankments of the Ghaggar river, and all the points where breaches occurred last year have been repaired,” he added.