Growing civic problems trigger road blockade agitation in The Nilgiris

Traffic disrupted for about half-an-hour on Ooty – Kotagiri road

October 02, 2014 11:58 am | Updated May 23, 2016 03:59 pm IST - Udhagamandalam:

A road blockade demonstration to highlight civic problems disrupted traffic on the busy Ooty - Kotagiri road for about half-an-hour on Wednesday.

It was organised by some social activists, drivers, traders and members of the Naam Thamizhar Katchi.

The participants lamented that despite several representations nothing tangible had been done by the civic administration to prevent sewage from overflowing on the main roads and footpaths.

Following an assurance given by civic officials and action initiated to remove the blocks in the underground drain along the Kotagiri road, the agitation was called off.

Regretting that the problems were proliferating, A. Sardhar, president of the Association for the Differently Abled, who was among the participants told The Hindu that some of the citizens would soon seek the intervention of the judiciary through a public interest litigation to get a better response from the municipality to the problems confronting the hill station on the civic amenities front.

Expressing concern over the mushrooming of buildings, both authorized and unauthorized, he said that the development of infrastructure like roads, drains, water lines and footpaths was not commensurate. Consequently, the pressure on the existing infrastructure, most of which had been created during the days of the Raj, has increased considerably.

Pointing out that the Kodappamund channel, which cuts through the town had been constructed about 30 years ago to prevent storm water from flooding low-lying areas, he said that due to misuse and encroachments it was now posing a threat to the people. All kinds of garbage, including plastic waste, were being dumped into it.

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