Residents demand cleaning of stinking drain

Residents of Jalvayu Vihar sectors 21 and 25 on Friday carried out a march demanding immediate cleaning of a drain in their locality

Residents of Jalvayu Vihar sectors 21 and 25 on Friday carried out a march demanding immediate cleaning of a drain in their locality.

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“We wanted to spread awareness about how the unclean drain is causing air and water pollution in our neighbourhood and causes diseases like bronchitis, skin problems, malaria and dengue,” said Manjul Thapliyal, who organized the campaign.

Senior citizens, retired military officers, children and women also took part in the campaign. Children made paintings to attract the attention of the Noida authority on the issue.

There are 75 main drains and 44 small drains across Noida. The authority hires contractors to de-silt them as and when needed. However, residents say, that even after cleaning the drains are full of plastic and other waste.

“The authority should cover this drain in a manner so that it can be cleaned regularly and the gases emanating out of it does not pollute air in this locality,” said DP Goyal ex-chairman of Jalvayu Vihar Sahkari Awas Samiti.

The Noida authority said that it will do what it can.

“We clean the drains regularly but people keep throwing all kinds of waste into the drains. However, the national green tribunal had banned covering drains,” said Indu Prakash Singh officer on special duty of the Noida authority.

The NGT on March 25, 2014 said banning drains could cause emission of hazardous gases.