From sewerage blockage to sanitation mess, a number of civic issues have riled up the residents of Ward No. 24 under the Chandigarh municipal corporation.
The ward comprises Sectors 36 and 42 besides Attawa in Sector 42, Furniture Market in Sectors 53 and 54, and Adarsh Colony in Sector 54. Before the fresh delimitation, these areas were spread across Wards No. 4, 10 and 11.
In Sector 36, residents complain that N-Choe, which passes through the sector, raises a stink and people dump garbage in it. “N-Choe has not been cleaned for years now. People dump all kinds of waste in it,” says 47-year-old Aditya Vikram, who resides in Sector 36A.
There is also an open garbage dump near MCM DAV College for Women, which is turning into a virtual landfill.
Shopkeepers at the market in Sector 36 say that waste is not collected regularly. They also complain that the parking lot has not been recarpeting for years.
Moving towards non-urban areas in the neighbouring sectors — Attawa in Sector 42 and Adarsh Colony in Sector 54 — the list of grievances and expectations grows longer.
Attawa residents complain of poor upkeep, blocked sewers, and dirty drinking water supply. They also complain of parking issues and poor maintenance of parks.
{{/usCountry}}Attawa residents complain of poor upkeep, blocked sewers, and dirty drinking water supply. They also complain of parking issues and poor maintenance of parks.
{{/usCountry}}Sukhdev Singh, a 50-year-old resident of Attawa, says, “We face sewerage blockage very often, and during the rainy season, dirty water gets accumulated on streets. The streets are not clean and parks are in a poor condition.”
“The shops don’t have a water connection and we have to get water from our houses. In monsoons, rainwater gets accumulated in front of our shops, affecting the movement of residents. Drainage lines need better maintenance,” says Madan Lal, 78, who runs a shop in Attawa.
Adarsh Colony is in a poor state and residents accuse the MC of neglect. The locality lacks cleanliness and dilapidated toilets have added to their woes.
There is no proper drainage system in the colony and only a limited number of public water taps. Residents say the population of the colony has increased over the years, but there has been no improvement in basic facilities.
Chandan Rai, 27, a resident of Adarsh Colony, says: “There is no cleanliness in the colony and public toilets are blocked. Drains are blocked and during the rainy season, the narrow streets get inundated.”
“There should be more garbage containers here and water pipelines should be replaced as the population has increased,” says Gagan, another resident.
Know your ward
Localities: Sectors 36 and 42, Attawa in Sector 42, Furniture Market in Sectors 53 and 54, and Adarsh Colony in Sector 54
Reserved for SC candidates
Voters: 10,000
Key issues
Blocked sewer lines and stormwater drains
Parking issues and dangling electricity wires
Lack of sanitation and poor state of public toilets
Local voices
We face sewerage blockage very often, and during the rainy season, dirty water gets accumulated on streets.
Sukhdev Singh, 50, a resident of Attawa.
Shops here do not have water connection and we have to carry water from our houses. Also, the drains need maintenance.
Madan Lal, 78, a shopkeeper in Attawa.
There is no cleanliness and public toilets are in a bad state. Drains are blocked, and wastewater inundates streets.
Chandan Rai, 27, a resident of Adarsh Colony
The parking lot in the market has not been recarpeted for years. Also, garbage is not collected regularly.
Anuj Kumar Sehgal, 45, market association president, Sector 36