Traffic blocked after sewerage collapses in Barnala

Residents held a protest and blocked traffic for nearly five hours on main Raikot Road on Monday after sewerage at Akalgarh Basti and Sekha Road area collapsed and became dysfunctional.

Residents held a protest and blocked traffic for nearly five hours on main Raikot Road on Monday after sewerage at Akalgarh Basti and Sekha Road area collapsed and became dysfunctional.

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Locals said the area is facing drainage and sewerage problems for the past five years and every year during monsoon it goes from bad to worse. Sewage flows on roads and enters houses.

The sewerage board had laid sewer pipes a few years ago. For the past some time, the board is just pumping sewage to the other side of road in the open due to blockage in pipes. "Our pumping motors are not working and we are making all-out efforts to make the system functional again," said Amarjit Singh, SDO, sewerage board.

For more than 20,000 inhabitants of Akalgarh Basti, Sekha Road is the only link, which connects the area to other cities and Barnala town.

"Foul smell in the entire area has become a serious health hazard as well. Streets are pockmarked with puddles of stagnant sewage water," allege residents Jasmel Singh and Mahavir Goyal.

As the Barnala deputy commissioner, ADC and SDM were not in the town, officiating ADC Jaspal Singh visited the spot and promised to the protesters that the matter would be taken up with the civic authorities soon.