VISAKHAPATNAM:With monsoon on the threshold, the city still awaits desiltation of drains in many areas. Many open drains are clogged with plastic, polythene and other solid waste which pose a threat during the monsoon season.
According to an estimate, people in the GVMC limits generate around 800 to 900 tonnes of solid waste a day. Though the use of plastic articles has been banned in the city, many shops use them, which finally end up on the roads and in the drains. Though the officials claim that they had been desilting drains and storm water channels, residents of several areas allege that the process was not sustained. One Town area, Gnanapuram, Akkayapalem, Allipuram, Sagarnagar, Poorna Market, Jagadamba Junction and Gajuwaka have been experiencing water logging due to shoddy desiltation work in the main drain water channels. The water logging oozes out stench and breeds mosquitoes. People in some areas experience health problems due to water-logging. Residents of low-lying areas in the city allege that though the GVMC claimed cleaning and desilting the drains, it is missing at the ground level.
Meanwhile, shops and business establishments keep dumping the polythene bags and other solid waste on roads and into drains.
“Many shops and business establishments in the city have been dumping large quantity of plastic and other solid waste, choking the open drains. During monsoon, the drain water overflows onto the roads and enters houses during heavy rains,” said G Sai Ram, a resident of the One Town area. “Last year the same situation recurred with drains overflowing during the monsoon season. It created many health hazards,” he said.
Reacting on the issue, GVMC commissioner Pravin Kumar said, “Even though desilting process is done, in some low-lying areas the drains would overflow. We have decided to take up some alternative measures to meet the crisis.”
Tenders for desiltaion process costs around Rs 2 crore. “We are half way through the work and it is expected to be completed within a month,” he added.