Ludhiana residents stage protest over contaminated water supply, choked sewers

The residents rued that they have been facing trouble due to choked sewer lines and contaminated water supply in their area for the last two months

Irked over choked sewer lines and contaminated water supply, residents of EWS colony, Kishore Nagar, Karam Colony, among other areas of ward number 17, staged a protest at Zone B office of MC on Wednesday. The protesters warned that they will lock the gates of the MC office if the authorities fail to resolve the issue by Monday.

Residents protesting against choked sewer lines and contaminated water supply outside the municipal corporation’s Zone B office in Ludhiana. (Harsimar Pal Singh/ HT)

Area councillor Jasmeet Kaur’s husband Balwinder Singh and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Halqa in charge of East constituency former MLA Ranjit Singh Dhillon also participated.

Handing over the memorandum to zonal commissioner Ankur Mahindroo, the residents rued that they have been facing trouble due to choked sewer lines and contaminated water supply in their area for the last two months.

Balwinder Singh stated that people are forced to live in unhygienic conditions with sewer water accumulated outside their houses. Further, the contaminated water supply is adding to the wones of the residents, and they are continuously living under the threat of an epidemic, he said. Potable water is being supplied through water tankers.

“The authorities have turned a blind eye towards the problems. The residents were forced to stage a protest due to negligence on the part of the authorities. Zonal commissioner Mahindroo has assured us that he will visit the area on Thursday and will resolve the problem by Monday. If the authorities fail to do so, we will raise an agitation and lock down the gates of MC office as it has failed to provide basic facilities to the residents,” said Singh.

Mainline damaged by NHAI contractor: MC

MC superintending engineer Rajinder Singh stated that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is constructing a flyover near Tajpur Road at NH-44.

“In that course, the contractor has damaged the main sewer line of MC, which led to the choking of the sewer lines in ward number 17. Most of the repair work is complete, and the accumulated water has started draining out. The issue will be completely resolved in a day or so,” said Singh.