End in sight for drain pain, MCG to visit site

Despite the tall claims made by the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) and forest department regarding the removal of muck from the DLF City Phase-4 drain, precious little has been done to clear the mess.

Despite the tall claims made by the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) and forest department regarding the removal of muck from the DLF City Phase-4 drain, precious little has been done to clear the mess.

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The drain is situated along a forest bund between the two culverts and Excelsior American School. The drain poses threat to public health as it may pollute groundwater. Besides, local residents have to put up with stench emanating from the nullah.

MCG officials told Hindustan Times that they would issue notices to concerned departments after finding out the ownership of the land. The officials are not yet clear under whose jurisdiction the area falls.

“The encroachments on forest land (bund and drain) cause choking,” said a resident of Richmond Park. “The district administration has connived with the land grabbers and helped them change the land status,” he added.

According to Sector 43 residents, they had opposed the construction of a culvert by the school sometime ago. “Area residents had protested the culvert’s construction and informed the district forest officials about it in 2007,” said a resident.

“The school has no authority to use the culvert as the matter is pending before the environment court,” said Devender Rao, range officer, forest department. “We had secured the permission to open gates (Sector 43 side) from the town and country planning department at Chandigarh,” said Vinod Kadyan, estate manager with Excelsior American School.

Dr Aruna Sangwan, in-charge sanitation, MCG, said, “I will visit the nullah along with a team tomorrow. Action will be taken after our inspection.”