VMC asked to cover drains

VADODARA, Feb 15: For the last three-odd years the residents of Uma Colony had been pursuing the VMC for covering the stormwater drain ne...

VADODARA, Feb 15: For the last three-odd years the residents of Uma Colony had been pursuing the VMC for covering the stormwater drain near Uma Chowkdi on the Waghodia Road. And though the VMC did wake up from its slumber to do the needful, the problem still persists with sewage water flowing through the open drain.

As Archana Luktuke, a resident, puts it the smell being emitted from the open drain is really “fragrant”.

In absence of an adequate drainage system, the VMC has been releasing sewage from a pumping station on the Ajwa Road in the Ruparel stormwater drain. An amount of Rs 10 lakh was allocated in the budget for the administrative wards for 1996-97 to cover the drain between Somabhaini Chali and Uma Colony. But with work yet to be completed, the foul-smelling drain has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

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“Regardless of the work being held up for political or any other reasons, we want the drain to be covered,” demands Society president Pravin Shah.

Another resident, Chandrakant Shah, threatened that the if VMC failed to cover the drain, they would be forced to move the local court. “Of late there has been an awareness among the citizens and they have been moving the court,” he added.

Bankim Shah, a resident, says that the stormwater drain had apparently not been covered as it passed through Somabhaini Chali, which was yet to be acquired.

Not only colony residents, even slum-dwellers face problems. According to Nagin Vaghri, during the monsoon the condition worsens with both sewage and rain water gushing into the houses.

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When contacted City Engineer B K Desai said he was aware about the matter. He, however, expressed helplessness saying that the stretch could not be covered until the huts were removed. “Even if the stretch is covered, the flow would be haphazard as the original line has been encroached upon by the slum-dwellers,” he added. Desai said that the drain beyond that particular spot was covered.

Asked why the stretch could not be covered, he said it was not possible as rain water flowed with great intensity during monsoon and claimed that there was no solution in the near future.

Admitting that sewage was being released through the storm water drain, he said the it could not be stopped until the master plan for drainage lines in the city was implemented. Interim report had been submitted and final report was expected to take some time, he added.

Officials of the VMC’s Land Acquisation Department were not available for comments on when the land would be acquired.