RAGE UP IN THE AIR: The garland strung up at Kolar. (R) A street in the locality turns into a drain after spel... Read More

BHOPAL: Tired of the general apathy shown towards civic amenities ahead of monsoon by their local politicians , irate residents of Kolar area’s Om Nagar have decided to prepare a special gift for their netas — a shoe garland.

The garland, made up of old shoes, is hoisted up high on the rooftops of houses in the locality and which residents will present to their local politicians.

“It’s just the pre-monsoon rains and the area is already marooned,” said Rajesh Mishra, a local trader, adding that the situation in monsoon would only get worse. Blaming the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), he said every year the politicians come seeking votes but do not assure any redressal to their grievances in monsoon.

Another resident Ganesh Baghel said, “Even after filing complaints to BMC officials and local corporator regarding our issues, none of them have taken any action. There is no proper drinking water facility in the society and even the state of roads is poor.”

He added, “Till now we have been protesting and have even submitted the memorandum to BMC officials so that they would solve our issues. But now we have prepared a shoe garland so that when they will come to seek votes, we will show them how they are welcomed here.”

Om Nagar Corporator Manful Meena said, “A culvert was constructed right at the entrance of the colony which also had a sewage line under it. However, the sewage line was not constructed by the contractor. I had informed the higher officials about it but none came to see the trouble and none of them took any action in it.”

Meena added, “Due to this, the entrance of the colony is filled with sewage water which also enters to nearby houses sometimes.

Around 10,000 people pass by it every day and the sewage water has become a severe problem for the residents of the colony.”

As per a BMC official, Encroachments have been removed from existing drains in the Kolar area, but this is just a piecemeal measure. Area needs a comprehensive storm water drainage network along with sewage treatment plants to flow out the rainwater on time.”

When contacted, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) additional commissioner M P Singh said some of the drains that were cleared in April had got blocked again and would have to be cleared once again.

