 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 14: Rains for merely ten minutes creates flood like situation for several families in tail end areas of Rajiv Nagar, where water from shallow-drain overflows into their houses, endangering their home and hearth.
Residents of Rajiv Nagar Mahesh Kumar, Sarvati, Rakesh Kumar, Manisha, Mantori, Roopa, Bhagwan Dass, Sushila, Vicky, Arun Kumar, Vishal, Gogi, Geeta Devi informed Early Times their small houses were constructed decades back adjoining to Narwal bridge and a drain was passing at one side of their houses.
"During the construction of the over national highway near Narwal, a cemented drain was constructed, which was shallow enough", they said.
"Even before completion of the road, an embankment of the drain broke down and fell into the drain, chocking it completely. At that time, we had taken the matter with the construction company, but they had not paid any heed and for the last over two decades, they have been facing the problem of floods", the locals said, adding that during every rains, flood water entered into the houses, damaging their belongings, eatables and other property.
They further informed that the construction of new drains in the upper areas of the locality have compounded their problem. "Now the water from Bhatidi and its nearby areas, has been entering finally into the small old chocked drain", they said, adding that whenever there was rains for few minutes, the entire area got submerged into flood water.
While castigating the politicians and administration, the locals said that none of the politician came to listen to their grievances. "We are poor people and poor have none to listen them. To whom we raise our voice", they questioned, adding that under Swatch Bharat Abhiyann the government has been constructing toilets but their main problem was damaged shallow drain, which was not repaired for the last over one decade.
Choked drains with contaminated water and garbage littered along the lanes narrated volumes of neglect the residents have been facing for the last many years from the politicians as well as administration. "We had never seen any sweeper in our locality. Sweepers only clean the drains of posh localities and are not deputed to the localities of the poor", they lambasted, adding that they have been forced to live in the localities, emanating foul smell, throughout the year.
Lambasting the politicians they said that they only cared for their votes and after elections, they disappeared and never visit the people, who voted them. |
