The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Open drain creates problems

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Friday, Jun 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Open drain creates problems

Staff Reporter

Becomes haven for mosquitoes; threat to residents

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Raising a stink: The open drain at Pragathinagar gets flooded when the Ramanthapur lake overflows during the rainy season. But with water being diverted to the Uppal Lake, the drain is left as it is.

Hyderabad: Residents of Pragathinagar in Ramanthapur are living in difficult conditions for the past few years. An open drain at the colony park has turned into an open dump and a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Stench from the open drain has pedestrians and passerby’s clutching their noses. Every evening, children playing in the park are subject to foul smell and nearby residents are fed up with the prevailing conditions.

Four years ago, an open nala was constructed till the colony park so that rain water from the Ramanthapur Lake could flow freely during the rainy season.

“Since the nala’s inception, it has been of no use as the drain and rain water was diverted to the Uppal nala through the underground drain system”, informs B. Mallaiah Yadav, president of Pragathinagar Residents Welfare Association.

As a result, the work was left half way and today the nala has become the vortex of problems.

Health hazard

“It is not even cleaned regularly and there is a risk of old people and children falling in it. Moreover, residents, particularly children, will definitely be prone to diseases,” adds Mr. Yadav.

Official neglect

Residents say that many representations about the issue have been made, right from 2004, but nothing has been done as yet. They say that it would be better if authorities concerned laid a proper drain system from the Ramanthapur Pedda Cheruvu to the Chinna Cheruvu, instead of leaving the open nala as it is.

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Andhra Pradesh