E-Paper
Chandigarh: Poor upkeep sends Ward 9 residents up the wall
Facing Chandigarh MC’s neglect, a plethora of civic issues plague colonies and villages in and around Industrial Area, Phase 1, in Ward 9.
Poor sanitation and dilapidated streets are among the key issues being faced by residents of ward number 9 under the Chandigarh municipal corporation.
The ward comprises Daria village, Mauli Jagran-2 and the Industrial Area, Phase I, besides its surrounding habitations of Sanjay Colony, Kabari Colony and Colony Number 4. While residents of Daria will participate in the MC elections for the first time, The Industrial Area, Phase 1, was earlier part of ward number 22.
In Daria, the most common problems are broken streets, open garbage heaps and poor sanitation. The residents say nothing much has changed in the past few years even as the MC has taken over the village. Nirmala Devi, a 50-year-old resident of Daria, says: “We have been waiting for our street to get revamped but nothing has been done so far. Cleanliness has been an issue and even sewerage line gets blocked during monsoons.”
Residents have been also facing the problem of irregular water supply, due to which they have to hire water tankers for daily use. Also, there is no place for recreational activities in the locality.
“Dangling electricity wires on the narrow streets pose threat to public and there is no cleanliness here. During the rainy season, water gets accumulated on the streets and sometimes enters our houses. These issues need to be resolved,” says Mohammad Shahid, 40, who resides in Raja Bagh, Daria.
In Mauli Jagran-2, residents are irked by stray cattle and poor maintenance of parks. They also complain that water meters have not been installed in the houses and sewerage lines remain choked.
Ved Prakash, 42, a local, says: “The maintenance of roads and parks is poor in our locality and stray cattle menace is a concern. Sometimes street lights do not work properly here.”
The list of issues at Sanjay Colony in Industrial Area, Phase 1, is long. Residents say they have to suffer from unhygienic surroundings and narrow and broken streets inundated by water, which sometimes even enters their homes. “As there is no draining system in our colony, the rainwater sometimes enters the houses. There are only a few taps for water supply and even toilets here are in a bad state,” says 21-year-old Akash, a resident of Sanjay Colony.
Sunil Rai, a 40-year-old vegetable seller who lives in the colony, says: “We have been residing here for decades, but the state of the colony has not improved. Poor sanitation is the main problem.”
Residents in Kabari Colony and Colony Number 4, also in the Industrial Area, face similar issues. The colonies are in a poor state, with garbage dumped in the open. At Colony Number 4, many were allotted houses in Maloya after a survey in 2006. However, those who were left out are still waiting to get rehabilitated, says a local.
KNOW YOUR WARD
Localities: Daria; Mauli Jagran-2; Industrial Area, Phase 1, along with Sanjay Colony Kabari Colony and Colony No. 4
Reserved for women (general)
Voters: 20,000
Key issues
Poor sanitation and open garbage dumps
Dilapidated streets and choked sewers
Inadequate water supply and dangling electricity wires
Local voices
We have been waiting for the streets to get revamped but nothing has been done so far. Cleanliness is a major concern: Nirmala Devi, 50, a homemaker residing in Daria
We often face the problem of blocked sewerage lines. The streets are in a poor state and there is no maintenance: Nityanand, 30, a bike mechanic residing in Daria
The maintenance of roads and parks is poor in our locality and stray cattle menace is another concern: Ved Prakash, 42, works in a private firm and lives in Mauli Jagran-2
Nothing has changed in Sanjay Colony over the years. The condition of sanitation is extremely poor: Sunil Rai, 40, vegetable seller from Sanjay Colony
