Every year monsoon brings untold misery to people living in low-lying areas in the city. For people living in extension colonies such as Konda Venkatappaiah Colony and Nara Chandrababu Naidu Colony, the monsoon has been a nightmarish experience to bear with the stench,insects and mosquitoes for years now.
In the absence of periodic silting of major drains, low-lying areas often face the threat of inundation during monsoon. The rampant commercial activity coupled with illegal encroachments on the drains have put enormous pressure on the existing network of open and storm water drainage system.
However, it was the lack of civic sense among many people that has been worrying and unless people realise the hazards of throwing litter in the drain and cooperate with the municipal staff, things would not improve. Some of the areas in R. Agraharam and A.T. Agraharam, Anandpet, Nallacheruvu, Nehru Nagar, and Vengala Rao Nagar have continued to suffer from the apathy shown by the corporation in addressing the problems plenty on the open drainage front.
The outfall drain at the SVN Colony has not been desilted for many years and obstructions to the free flow of water meant that the residents have to live with the stench. For a town with historical moorings, the labyrinth network of drains cutting across streets and roads reflect the lack of proper planning and civic infrastructure.
In many areas owing to the absence of lined storm water drains excess water spills on the roads. Lack of silting of major drains has been leading to inundation of residential colonies in times of monsoon and obstructions in open drains have been causing health problems. For many years, the GMC has remained silent on the issue until it had taken up a major exercise of desilting all major drains as part of a pre-monsoon action plan. “We will desilt all the existing drains under the monsoon action plan. The GMC has allotted Rs.1.6 crore for taking up the work,’’ Superintendent Engineer, GMC, G. Adiseshu told The Hindu on Tuesday.
