Residents of 5 sectors suffer due to MC's negligence

The municipal corporation’s negligence cost dear for two lakh residents in the city. Acute water shortage in five sectors (from Sector 48-52) since the past three days was a cause of worry for these residents.

Rainwater damaged a supply line from Sector 39 water works to Sector 52 water works, snapping the supply to these sectors on July 10.

The departments fault stems from the reason that it filed an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High court, claiming that there was no discharge of sewerage from Chandigarh to the N-choe as all the points have been closed and the N-choe is dry now.

The MC had blocked the main brick drain of 2,400 mm, meant for storm water discharge, which has been flowing in the N-choe.

Later the close end of the drain was connected with a 700 mm pipe towards SAS Nagar, from where it was to be further pumped in another line, so that it should not flow into the N-choe in SAS Nagar.
The brick drain, which was an outlet for storm water discharge was of 700 mm failed to take discharge of rainwater and resultantly, blasted the brick drain of 2400 mm as well.

After the blast, rainwater damaged the water supply line, supplying water from water works Sector 39 to to-water works Sector 52 and affected the water supply of five sectors that have a population of nearly 2 lakh.

The matter came to light, after the Public health department of MC filed an affidavit in the Punjab and Haryana High court on April 25, in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by the residents of SAS Nagar, that the sewerage water is discharged from Chandigarh into the N-choe of SAS Nagar, is emitting foul smell.

MC had informed the court that the project proposed for stoppage of waste water into N-choe (nullah) and laying of parallel sewer line in UT Chandigarh would be accomplished by June 30.

Area councilor Harphool Chand Kalyan said, “It is sheer negligence on the part of the officers and on now on enquiring, they have stated that, the entire sewerage drain from Sector 39 water works to Sector 52 water works will be replaced at a cost of nearly Rs 50 lakh. It will take around 3 months to complete the work,” he said.

However, when Gurpreet Singh, executive engineer, Public Health Division no-4 was contacted, he refused to comment on the issue of water woes among residents.