Call it a Sakaala success story. A sanitary line in a small locality of Ulsoor, which remained choked for more than four months, got cleared in just one-and-half hour after the residents took the ‘Sakaala’ way.

A choke drain had made life difficult for the residents of Kallahalli near Ulsoor lake for the last six months. The problem aggravated four months ago. Though the residents submitted numerous applications to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) it proved futile. Several calls to BWSSB helpline also didn’t help.

Finding no end to their woes, the affected families contacted Kalidas Reddy, a law graduate living in their neighbourhood. Reddy filed an RTI application on March 15 also requesting for the de-silting of drain under Sakaala. The impact of Sakaala was unprecedented.

He had applied for de-silting at 11 am and the same day at 12.30 pm, BWSSB personnel with jetting machine dashed to the locality and cleared the sewerage pipe in two hours.
Reddy said, “Expecting results at a lightning speed from an agnecy like BWSSB was beyond my imagination. I can’t remember that I had ever seen a government organisation swinging into action so quickly.” A woman residing in Kallahalli said living in the house had become difficult for them as they had to bear the suffocating stench. She said, “The problem started some six months ago but intensified four months ago. Our repeated pleas to de-silt the sewerage fell on deaf ears.”

BWSSB sources said the pipelines in Kallahalli were very old and needed to be replaced. A proposal would be moved shortly to take up the project. Sakaala, a flagship programme of the State government, guarantees about 260 government services in a time-bound manner. It makes officers liable to ensure delivery of services within the stipulated time, failing which they will have to a pay fine for the delay.