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Ludhiana: Manhole backflow, Buddha Nullah overflow a double whammy for residents
Residents along the Buddha Nullah are facing a double whammy as the flood-like situation on the streets is causing backflow through manholes and sewage discharge points in their homes. The main sewage pipes are clogged, causing filthy domestic discharge to flow towards low-lying areas. Efforts to stop overflow have resulted in sewage overflow into homes. The situation has affected several areas away from the nullah, with clogged manholes and road gullies. The civic body officials have inspected the affected areas and stated that the water level in the nullah is receding.
: As the Buddha Nullah continues to flow above the danger level for the eighth consecutive day, residents of localities along the nullah are facing a double whammy. Along with a flood-like situation on the streets due to the overflow of the nullah and backflow through manholes, the discharge points at their houses have also started flowing in reverse.
As the main sewage pipes through which domestic discharge goes into the nullah lay clogged, the filthy domestic discharge is turning towards the homes of residents in low-lying areas. As the sewage of the entire city gets dumped into the nullah, several areas which are away from the nullah are also facing the problem of clogged manholes and road gullies.
Residents of Shivpuri, which is among the worst affected, said that the civic body officials have dug up the main sewer line to stop the overflow into their area, but the action has resulted in overflow of sewage in their houses.
Mahesh Kumar, a resident of new Shivpuri said, “While the rainwater flowing in the Buddha Nullah is muddy, the water on our street is black and has a foul smell as the sewage from other areas is coming into our street.” He added that the discharge points in the houses are also overflowing as sewers lay choked.
He added that he along with his family spent last week at a relative’s home but came back yesterday hoping that the situation would improve but there is no respite.
Another resident, Vishal Kumar, said, “As the level of the nullah rose, the water entered into their homes from outside and flooded the area. Now even as the nullah has started receding, the sewage from other areas is flowing through the manholes while the discharge points at our homes are barely working.”
He added that the civic body should shift children and senior citizens to comfortable accommodation elsewhere till the time the condition improves.
Executive engineer Ranbir Singh said that the reverse flow is only due to high flow in the nullah. He added that the level of the nullah is receding.
The areas which have been severely affected due to water overflowing from the nullah include Dhoka Mohalla, New Deep Nagar, Sunder Gaushal a road, Madhopuri Chander Nagar, Kundanpuri, Vivek Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, Ranjit Singh Park and New Kundanpuri.
Several disposers installed in the low-lying parts of the city to drain the sewage water were also filled up to the capacity and overflowed including at Shivaji Nagar. Several bridges over the nullah were also drowned as the heaps of wild grass got stuck under them causing the water to overflow.
DC, MC chief inspect areas along nullah
Municipal corporation commissioner Shena Aggarwal and deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik conducted a joint inspection in the Dhoka Mohalla area and stated that the accumulated water will be pumped out in a day or so as the water level in the Buddha Nullah has started to recede.
