PONDA: Ponda town experienced severe flooding on Saturday as heavy rains hit the area. The situation was exacerbated by a choked nullah, which forcefully changed its course, resulting in the collapse of a portion of a retaining wall.
The diverted flow of water flooded a nearby house, subsequently inundating the police station, main road, and a row of shops near the Shastri Hall building, causing damage to the goods within. The overflowing water eventually returned to its original path through the gutters. The incident once again highlighted the unpreparedness of the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) for the monsoon season, especially considering that the gutters were already clogged eight days prior.
The nullah became obstructed due to the accumulation of large branches from trees, coconut branches, garbage, and plastic waste, which were dumped directly under the culvert of the main internal nullah.
Additionally, the main water pipelines supplying water to the city pass beneath the culvert, further contributing to the choking of the nullah when branches and garbage obstructed the passage of water. Essentially, the nullah transformed into a temporary reservoir due to the obstruction below the culvert.
The municipal workers deserve appreciation for their hard work in draining the nullah, which took them seven hours of rigorous efforts to accomplish.
Both the Water Resources Department (WRD) and local residents attribute the flooding to encroachments along the nullah banks and the irresponsible disposal of garbage into the nullah. Moreover, the lack of access for earthmover machines to enter the nullah hindered mitigation efforts.
The incident caused traffic chaos and panic among shop owners in the area.
Nishant Khasnis, whose house was flooded when the retaining wall of the nullah collapsed in front of his residence, expressed shock and dismay. Water and dirt entered his house, reaching calf-high levels. “I had repeatedly requested the authorities to clear the choked nullah with garbage, but no action was taken despite assurances,” he said, dejectedly.
Shop owners selling copper utensils expressed their fear and concern as they witnessed their valuable copper containers and other goods floating away in the floodwaters. They were taken aback by the sudden flood-like situation, which lasted for approximately 10-15 minutes.
The debris and garbage obstructing the nullah also affected the police station, leading to water inundation within the facility and adjacent shops. Vendors and shop owners reported significant losses as floodwaters entered their establishments, requiring them to stay and clean up late into the night.
Local residents criticised the PMC for failing to desilt the nullah and clear the garbage. They recalled a similar incident occurring a week ago when the gutters were clogged, preventing vendors from conducting business at the old bus stand.
