PONDA: Residents of Durgabhat in Ponda are aggrieved due to the ongoing works of Sewerage Corporation which has damaged their houses and caused inconvenience.
Speaking to the reporters, a resident of Durgabhat, MM Sheikh informed that the Sewerage Corporation has been carrying out digging of trenches in the area. “They are digging huge trenches in front of the houses at Durgabhat for laying sewerage lines and chambers due to which cracks have developed to three houses. These trenches are dangerous”, he stated.
He further informed that the locals had confronted the officials for digging trenches which were 8 metres deep, 2 metres wide and 25 metres long. He said that the trenches have blocked the access to their homes and cused much inconvenience to the locals.
“I have not been able to take out my car on road as barricades are put in front of house for trenches. While digging 8 metre deep trench officials found huge boulders, for which they used heavy drilling machinery to remove them. The use of machinery caused huge sound and vibration that led to cracks being developed to the foundation of houses”, Sheikh stated.
Expressing fears that their homes would collapse in the event of heavy rains, Sheikh said “We are worried for our houses, whether they would withstand heavy rains due to cracks and trenches in front of house. We demand compensation for the losses caused to the ongoing works.”
Apart from the damage to the houses, the work is posing danger to the pedestrians as roots of a huge tree have been axed and could collapse any moment, informed Sheikh. He said that the workers do not sprinkle water while the digging is on and that has caused dust pollution in the area causing inconvenience to the local residents.
Local Councillor Anand Naik said that the Sewage Corporation officials without discussing with locals and the Councillors have carried out the dangerous work. “They have no plans for their work. The STP Officials who were present at PMC today could not answer the questions posed to the negligent work conducted by them. They are neither ready to give in writing an assurance that the houses damaged by them would be compensated by them”, he added.
