Public Works Department’s vacuous decision to connect a sewerage drain to a storm water drain six months ago has become a serious concern for residents of Vasundhara Enclave societies.
Residents of Deluxe Apartments, Triveni Apartments, Puneet Apartments and Parwatiya B4 Apartments complained of sewage water flowing from their kitchen taps. They said that ever since the two drains were connected, water in the storm water drain had remained stagnant, a result of sewage being mixed in it. They fear that if the problem is not addressed by monsoons, it will lead to a catastrophe. Residents are especially irked because of the fact that despite having a permanent drain to release the sewerage of Ashok Nagar (an illegal colony located near Vasundhar Enclave) into Shahdara Canal, PWD connected it to the storm water drain running along the periphery of their societies.
BS Rawat, a resident of Deluxe Apartments, told City Spidey that he saw no logic in connecting the two drains. "There is a drain to allow Ashok Nagar's sewage to flow directly to Shahdara canal," said Rawat. "But that has been damaged by encroachments. Whatever sewage could flow through the drain was further blocked by the construction of a police station right on the drain. PWD, in an attempt to ensure the sewage reaches Shahdara drain, connected it to the storm water drain running outside our societies — drains that are only supposed to carry only rainwater. The police station in question was shifted to another area and NGT had ordered it to be demolished by September last year, to allow sewage to flow easily. But the building still stands there. Our federation has written several letters to PWD and Delhi government to demolish the structure but no action has been taken on it."
The federation of Vasundhara Enclave CGHS held a meeting on February 5 to discuss what their next step should be. "We need to arrive at a permanent solution to the problem rightaway," said JP Sharma, general secretary of the federation. "We have also written to Delhi government, PWD, Delhi Jal Board and DDA seeking their attention on the issue."
