Nawanshahr in grave danger of floods

The city's Mehandipur drain, flooding of which displaced over 250 families in August 2011, has not been cleaned for ages and this could lead to a flooding of the area. Kalran Mohalla, Guzzarpur colony and Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and nearby villages Mahalon, Mehndipur, Langroa, Sanawa, and Saloh are in the line of fire and likely to be flooded, if it rains even mildly.

The city's Mehandipur drain, flooding of which displaced over 250 families in August 2011, has not been cleaned for ages and this could lead to a flooding of the area.

HT Image

Kalran Mohalla, Guzzarpur colony and Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and nearby villages Mahalon, Mehndipur, Langroa, Sanawa, and Saloh are in the line of fire and likely to be flooded, if it rains even mildly.

Two hours of rain, two weeks ago, led to submergence of acres of crops, due to this choked drain.

“The administration is not concerned about public welfare and officials seem to be irresponsible as the drain has always remained choked,” said municipal councillor Param Singh Khalsa.

Sources in the administration claimed that the state government was yet to send Rs 10 lakh grant to the district administration for such works, even as the monsoon had arrived.

Talking to HT, SDM (drainage), Kirandeep Kaur said that she along with engineering staff took stock of Mehandipur drain on Wednesday and found that city's sewage water was also being thrown into this drain. She expressed her helplessness on the issue, stating that even labourers were not available to clean the drain due to the foul smell and as sewage had been thrown into the drain. She said that cleaning the drain required a machine and that was not available with the department.