Prolonged drainage repairs cause havoc in Kunigal

The roads in 20 wards of the town have been dug up to carry out repairs on the underground drainage pipes. This, coupled with incessant rains, has turned the entire town into a veritable pond of slush, hindering movement of pedestrians as well as two-wheeler riders.

In Housing Board Colony, Doddapet, Ramana Block, Dr Rajakumar Nagar, Sante Maidan and D Group localities of the town, it is a common sight to see newspaper and milk vendors, children and women fall on the bad roads.

“Whenever we bring this to the notice of the officials, we are asked to cooperate till the repair works are completed. If the concerned town municipality officials and public representatives do not take initiative to improve the situation, the roads will remain in the same state for another year. It has become extremely difficult to step out of our houses,” said senior citizens Ramakrishnappa, Jayanna and Bhagyamma.

Students of Sarvodaya, Stella Mary’s, Saint Rita and Jnanabharati schools find it extremely hard to go to school and their parents are forced to take the responsibility of dropping their kids to and picking them up from school.

The drainage repairs have damaged the drinking water pipeline and causing water to leak, aggravating the situation. The drinking water supplied by the town municipality is contaminated, causing diseases among consumers.

To add to these troubles, some miscreants have broken the pipe carrying the sewage from the Housing Board Colony. This has led to the sewage mixing with the water of the Doddakere and the municipality has failed in purifying this water and then supplying it to homes.

Consumption and use of contaminated water has led to the spread of diseases like dengue. Most people are forced to seek treatment in hospitals in the district centres and the State capital.

The abject neglect of the town municipality officials and elected representatives has harboured a host of problems. The burning question remains as to what could a permanent solution to such problems be.