Flood-like scene at River Bank...

NULLAH WATER overflowed on Thursday to create a big mess in the Riverbank Colony, submerging the entire stretch from KK Hospital to Shaheed Smarak with waist-deep sewer water. The situation arose because the barrels of Gomti river were closed and operators of the municipal corporation never bothered to switch on the pumps to flush out the overflow in the area.

The Ghasiyari Mandi nullah which brings all the water of the city into the Gomti overflowed and dirty water entered the houses within minutes.  Water flowing in this nullah is usually taken by pumps into the river but LMC staff on Thursday failed to press the pumps into service.

Residents of Riverbank Colony were stranded for nearly two hours due to water logging in the area. Nullah water entered the houses in the Gomti Sadan and Dayal Mahato Ka Hata localities and in nearby houses. LMC pump operators Mahesh and Shiv Mishra had to face the ire of Riverbank Colony residents  who thrashed them for their laxity.

According to LMC sources, both pump operators were injured and sent to the hospital for first aid.

Traffic from Chowk  was diverted to other routes. CO Chowk Rajesh Sawhney, ADM JP Singh and City Magistrate Sanjay Singh rushed to the waterlogged area where people were holding a roadblock.

Residents alleged that pump operators sold diesel meant for the pumps. “They refused to switch on the pumps even when the water was above our waist,” said Sanjay resident of Gomti Sadan. “ We faced a similar situation recently and at that time we were assured by the municipal chief that proper flushing out of water would be done in future,” he added.

“Our furniture and household goods were submerged under water as if there was a flood,” said another resident of Gomti Sadan.

The phone of chief engineer LMC was switched off, and City engineer SK Jain was sitting in the LMC office when the municipal commissioner inquired about the situation of Riverbank Colony.

LMC chief stays busy sermonising

WHILE RESIDENTS of the River Bank Colony were struggling with the sewer water, LMC chief Ram Bodh Maurya was busy giving sermons at the Bhajan Sandhya.

When the residents contacted him on phone, he called on additional municipal commissioner Harveer Singh and ordered him to contact the chief engineer who had switched off his mobile phone. City engineer SK Jain was sitting inside the LMC office, scared to go without force because two of the pump operators were badly beaten by the mob.