Over 2.1 lakh people have become victims with floods and heavy rains in Srikakulam with the unauthorised constructions in each and every lane of the town, due to rampant corruption and lack of supervision from municipal and panchayat authorities. Several colonies, including Visakha-A Colony, Visakha-B Colony, Bankers’ Colony and other areas located in the heart of the town. But they come under panchayats such as Killipalem and Chapuram.
All these areas have been inundated with heavy rains for the last one week with the lack of drainage system. The situation may be relatively better if they come under Srikakulam municipality but influential sections prevented merger of these villages into the civic body.
Source say politically influential people did not allow merger since they cannot have their say in granting permissions for the construction of apartments and other buildings.
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Haphazard development, lack of drainage system and poor sanitation have become banes for the ‘posh’ colonies of Srikakulam district. Rampant corruption in plan approvals is an open secret.
Many apartments were constructed in the colonies without having drainage outlets.
Srikakulam Collector Saurabh Gaur on Sunday said that the improper planning and unauthorised constructions had further worsened the conditions in rain-hit colonies. “We will look into the issue seriously after the completion of relief measures in flood affected areas. Stern action is needed against the concerned for allowing unauthorised construction activity in the town,” said Mr. Gaur.
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Srikakulam Citizens’ Forum president Baratam Kameswara Rao demanded that drainage system should be developed by taking the entire town as a single unit. “The government should demolish all the unauthorised constructions to let rainwater to go properly through drainages,” he said.