Waterlogging, poor sanitation raise Dengue and Malaria fears in Sector 21

According to residents, a 1.5-2 kilometer long stretch on the Old Delhi Gurugram road, starting from Dhundahera village, has become inundated with stagnant water due to no drainage outlet in the vicinity.

Amid the rising dengue and malaria cases across Haryana, residents of Sector 21 have raised their concerns over persistent waterlogging and poor sanitation in areas around Surya Vihar society, officials said on Saturday.

Waterlogged stretch near Kapashera border. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

According to residents, a 1.5-2 kilometer long stretch on the Old Delhi Gurugram road, starting from Dhundahera village, has become inundated with stagnant water due to no drainage outlet in the vicinity.

Rajesh Gera, president of resident welfare association (RWA) of Surya Vihar society located along Kapashera border, said that residents cannot freely walk in and out of the high-rise premises due to poor drainage and sewer overflow. “During every rainy season, we see the roads surrounding the society get submerged in knee-deep water that goes on to stay for weeks,” said Gera.

Despite repeated complaints, the local authorities fail to take notice of the muddy water accumulated in front of the society, which has further become a breeding ground for vector-borne diseases, said Gera.“Every year, we see many dengue and malaria cases being reported in our society. Luckily, this time around, we don’t have any cases as of now. But, with the current situation, it is not far-fetched to say that our fears may turn out to be true,” he said.

“The road passing in front of a Harijan basti settled under the Indira Awaas Yojana has no drainage, and with frequent sewer overflows, it has become a hotspot for mosquitoes and other vector-borne diseases,” he added.Residents said that sewage treatment plant (STP) water discharged from units operating in the nearby Special Economic Zone (SEZ) adds to the current drainage problem. “A 5-6-acre huge empty land with unauthorised construction on the backside of the society has become another dumping ground for wastewater,” Gera noted.

“Similarly, water leaking from illegally set up 300-400 metre pipelines in nearby Dhundahera collects straight in front of the society, as it is built in a low-lying area,” added Sonu Yadav, former president of Surya Vihar RWA.

Addressing the concerns, Yash Jaluka, additional commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, said that a team including engineers inspected the areas near Old Delhi Gurugram road along Kapashera border on Friday.

“We’ve identified many problems, including sewer overflow and poor sanitation. A plan is being formulated to connect the vicinity with proper drainage facilities nearby,” Jaluka said, adding that the water stuck in the area was cleared; however, it remains a challenge during the rainy season.