Wagholi residents fear flooding due to blocked natural springs

This year the residents feel that the threat of flooding their grounds has become more real as the adjacent plot owner has filled the natural stream with sand further causing more water logging

Wagholi residents in the area behind societies Suyog Nisarg, Rohan Abhilasha road running parallel to Lohegaon-Wagholi road are worried about facing yet another flood this year. In 2019, and 2020, they had witnessed water up to three feet entering into their parking space as well as leaving the roads waterlogged.

A flooded compound near Suyog Nisarg on Sunday. (HT PHOTO)

While the society Suyog Nisarg is on the foot of hills behind Lohegaon-Wagholi road, during monsoon, heavy storm water flows from the hill towards the society as natural streams but the adjacent plot owner has blocked the natural spring by building over it thus leading the water to flow directly onto the roads instead of flowing away in its usual path.

“Blocking a natural stream has adverse effects causing waterlogging on the road affecting commuters and also society’s backyard is also filled with 3 feet of water. Due to this, even our Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was filled with six feet of water causing damage to all our pumps and motors affecting our pockets. We did complaint to Wagholi grampanchayat but it was in vain and now are hopeful with PMC,” said Nitin Jain, chairman, Suyog Nisarg. Wagholi was recently added as one of the 23 merged villages to PMC.

The residents have tweeted to PMC saying, “We are in your jurisdiction, we need your help in resolving a pending natural stream issue with an adjacent plot which has caused severe health and mental issues to 1,000s of Wagholikars and flooded a road and our society.”

This is followed by yet another tweet suggesting how a permanently blocked natural stream that was going through the boundaries of its land will cause severe waterlogging affecting residents to even cross the road and flooding their society as well.

This year the residents feel that the threat of flooding their grounds has become more real as the adjacent plot owner has filled the natural stream with sand further causing more water logging.

This came to light a few months ago when a member from our society shared a video and photographs with movements happening in the adjacent plot and then we realized that it has blocked the natural stream.

Speaking to Sagar Gore, gram panchayat member and living in Satavasti which also gets flooded said, “The natural spring was first illegally blocked by the builders. The springs were buried, diverted and even closed, and now this plot owner is adding to the woes of the residents of Wagholi. We are looking at talking to PMC for a solution,” said Gore.