With monsoon season fast approaching, residents of Mala have again expressed fear that this year also, drains will overflow bringing in the sewage water into their homes. However, locals have said that sewage water flooding is an annual affair but the authorities are completely silent or just keep ignoring this issue.
Moreover, Mala, situated on the edge of the river, faces high tides during the monsoon season since the rain water does not have a proper path to reach the river with the choked drains.
As Herald visited Ward no 19 at Mala, it was observed that the drains with sewage water had become stagnant. It was also revealed by the locals that these drains had not been cleaned for the past 25 years thus leading to blockages, which, in turn, leads to overflowing and causing the water to enter people’s houses.
“Every year we have to face a tough situation as this sewage water overflows through the chambers and the drains and almost enters our house. Not only us but majority of the people face this problem. The water is polluted as it sewage water. The worst part is we have to step into that filthy water to reach home. Last year my child suffered some sort of allergy as he walked through that water to get home. The drains are age old and not cleaned for the last 25 years,” said Patrick Dias.
Another resident of Mala, Shobha Surlekar had this to say: “Before monsoon the workers come and clean the drains on the main road but avoid these age old drains as they say that sewage lines have been attached to the drains. It has been almost 25 years that these drains have not been touched and the sewage water under it has become stagnant and the moment it rains these drains overflow and water enters our houses”.
Further, experts have said that a proper survey should be conducted and a check carried out if the drains are connected and the gutters and nullahs are free of all encumbrances to ensure that the city is free from flooding in the future.
“There have been no efforts to check on the water drains and make efforts to ensure that waterways have not been blocked. All the residents had met the Chief Minister long ago to find a solution to this problem but nothing was done. Now we feel that this year also the sewage water will flood into our houses,” said a local resident, who did not want to reveal his identity.
Meanwhile, speaking to Herald, ward no 19, CCP Corporator, Menino Da Cruz said: “This problem is nothing new it has been there for more than 45 years. In the last 7-8 years it has been reduced because of the irrigation pump nearby. Recently we have lodged a complaint with the Health Department and we are awaiting action”
