Ludhiana MC ignores overflowing sewers this Diwali too

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 3

Even this Diwali, Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to resolve the problem of overflowing sewage in different parts of ward 28, leaving residents to suffer under extremely unsanitary conditions. The residents asked why the problem had not been resolved before the festival.

In view of the festival, the MC recently launched a cleanliness drive at prominent markets. The MC chief had also directed officials that there should be no sewer blockage. However, residents of Garcha Colony, Dhandari Khurd and nearby colonies have got no relief from overflowing sewage.

AAP leader Amanchain Singh, who is a resident of Garcha Colony, had sat on a hunger strike more than two years ago as the civic body authorities had been ignoring complaints. He was given assurance that the problem would be resolved at the earliest but he said nothing was done to resolve the issue till date.

Amanchain Singh said: “People are still forced to live under hell-like conditions. No cleanliness drive has been conducted in our area before this Diwali too. A few days ago, I contacted the office of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi but to no avail. Staff of the Chief Minister’s Office asked me to contact the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana. But, the civic body has already been ignoring the issue for a long period. Even no fogging is being conducted in affected areas here for the prevention of dengue,” he said.

Sukhwinder Singh of Dhandari Khurd said: “One of the main streets in the village is still flooded with overflowing sewage. Sewer lines have not been cleaned for the past around three years. We would stage another protest soon if the situation was not improved. We also demand disconnection of sewer pipes of a dyeing unit as its sewer connection should not be linked with the domestic sewerage line.”

MC’s Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh said they were going to set up a new sewerage disposal unit to address the overflowing sewage problem in New Durga Colony and other areas of Ward 28 and tenders for the same project had been floated.

“Once the disposal unit is set up, the overflowing sewage problem would be resolved. Moreover, industrial connections will be linked with a common effluent treatment plant soon and sewage problem in Dhandari Khurd village would be resolved,” he said.

Cleanliness drive fails to bring relief

In view of the festival of lights, the MC recently launched a cleanliness drive at prominent markets. The MC chief had also directed officials that there should be no sewer blockage. However, residents of Garcha Colony, Dhandari Khurd and nearby colonies have got no relief from overflowing sewage.