Danger in waiting Lack of preparedness in Pipla, another disaster in the offing?

 

 

During last monsoon, around 50 students of a school were rescued by Fire and Emergency Department in Hudkeshwar area due to flooding inside the school premises. Many residents of Mhalgi Nagar, Vaishnomata Nagar, Chakrapani Nagar, Sawarbandhe Layout, Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Sanmarga Nagar, witnessed flood-like situation due to heavy rains. Water-logging during monsoon has become a common phenomena in South Nagpur and specially in these aforementioned areas due to haphazard development and lack of proper cleaning of storm water drains. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) claims that it initiated cleaning of all three rivers and nullahs before start of monsoon every year. However, these localities, specially on Pipla Road area which suffer the most every year during monsoon, are most neglected in the cleaning campaign of the civic body.

 

The storm-water drainage line, which has been constructed throughout the Pipla Road stretch, is choked with garbage and no one cares about cleaning it since the construction of the new cement road. The illegal weekly market on Pipla Road near Chakrapani Nagar is the main culprit for choking of storm-water drainage on the stretch and perhaps the administration is unaware about the condition of the drainage line there. Similarly, the huge nullah over the Pipla Road near Pipla village and the tributary of Pohra River is the biggest culprit for flooding in South Nagpur and specially in Hudkeshwar and Pipla Road area every year during monsoon. Excavators of NMC are deployed to desilt and clean the Pohra River on Hudkeshwar Road, but no proper cleaning of the nullah has taken place so far in many years. Encroachment on both sides of the nullah is another reason for flooding in nearby areas.

 

The cement road construction work underway in different lanes on both sides of Pipla Road will be another cause of flooding during heavy rains in upcoming monsoon. The construction work is going on at snail’s pace and the residents are suffering due to severe dust emitted by excavation and movement of heavy vehicles in narrow lanes. The existing tar roads on many lanes have already been excavated and during monsoon, it will cause water-logging and muddy surfaces as residents will face tough time in upcoming monsoon season. Dumped garbage on open plots in Chakrapani Nagar, Vaishnomata Nagar and Sawarbandhe Layout is another big issue which should be addressed by the civic body before monsoon or the residents will face another flood event in coming days.