Ram Nagar residents battle clogged drains, waterlogging blues

Ram Nagar residents in the city have been grappling with sewage woes and waterlogging due to rain.

On August 31, the residents held a protest at Chandan Nagar RUB because of the problems. They said it was strange that even after several protests, the MC didn’t pay any heed to the problem.

Bhupinder Kumar said, “We have been living with this issue for so long that at times it doesn’t even bother us. But that doesn’t mean that we deserve to live that way.”

Suman Devi, another resident, said rain scared her. “Mere one hour rain can create numerous problems. It takes hours for the water to get drained,” she said. It was difficult to send their wards to the school in such conditions.

Gian Chand, former councillor of the area, while talking to mediapersons, said he had met the MC Commissioner on this issue before the monsoon started. “We have been holding dharnas. How can they be so ignorant about this serious matter. I don’t understand,” he said.

The residents said they often got dirty drinking water too. “Aren’t we important for them,” asked an enraged resident. DC Dr Himanshu Aggarwal recently issued strict directives to the civic bodies, asking these to ensure swift drainage of rainwater in the city.

In a written order, Dr Aggarwal directed the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, Improvement Trust, Jalandhar, and the Additional DC (Urban Development) to clear all blockages across drainage points on roads. He laid stress on the cleanliness of drainage points on a war-footing.

The DC emphasised the need for prompt action, instructing the departments to remove encroachments, obstructing drainage points to ensure the swift disposal of rainwater. He underscored the importance of maintaining an effective drainage system to prevent waterlogging, which can cause inconvenience to residents.