Earth around sewer line caves in at Model Town

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 14

The area around the main sewerage line laid by the Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) suddenly caved in near Gurudwara Jeewan Parkash in the Model Town Phase 1 area here on Saturday afternoon.

Around a 30-foot-long pothole came up on the road and mud along with debris due to falling down entered the sewerage, as a result of which its pipes were completely blocked. Resultantly, the sewerage system of around 1,100 houses in Model Town Phase I, riot victim colony, LIG, HIG, EWS and yellow quarters area were completed choked.

Choked sewerage in the area had led to accumulation of dirty sewerage water on roads in these areas. However, after getting the information, Ward No.11 councillor Harjinder Singh Shinda reached the spot and he informed Mayor Balwant Rai Nath, officials of the MCB, the Sewerage Board, the Public Health and Triveni company about this incident.

Triveni company, which is looking after water and sewerage work in the city, stated that they would start repairing work here on Monday, till then people would have to face the problem of sewage overflow in the area.

Ward councillor Harjinder Shinda said 10-12 years ago the Public Health Department had laid the 16-inch sewerage through BDA, which was connected with the main sewerage passing through the Model Town area.

He alleged that after lying the sewerage, it had not been cleaned even once and desilting had also not been done till date, due to which 70 per cent sewerage was already choked and remaining 30 per cent was disposing sewerage from around 1,100 houses in the area.

The councillor said he had earlier brought this matter to the notice of MCB, the Sewerage Board and Triveni company officials, but nobody took action on his complaint. He said 10 days back owing to rain the sewerage caved in at some places in the area and then he informed the officials about this, but no action was initiated, due to which this afternoon the sewerage suddenly caved in.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath reached the spot to take stock of the situation. He asked from officials the reason behind the incident. The Mayor directed the officials to get it resolved at the earliest.