The Times of India             14.06.2013

VMC asks officials to check sewage flow into water bodies, drains

VADODARA: Alarmed by continuing release of sewage in storm water drains and ponds in the city, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has asked its engineering department to ensure that the practice is stopped immediately. In the past too, the department asked the engineers to take remedial steps as such release was a health hazard.

The drainage department and ward-level officials have for quite some time now been using storm water drains and ponds to release sewage water if drainage lines fail.

The sewage is pumped out of the lines and into the storm water drains that eventually end up in a pond or river Vishwamitri.

The civic body has of late taken an initiative towards reviving the Vishwamitri and ponds. Officials said release of drainage water in open storm water drains and ponds besides Vishwamitri lead to mosquito menace. The city has been facing mosquito menace and related health issues for the last few years.

VMC deputy municipal commissioner R K Sugoor has shot a letter to the executive engineers of all the four municipal zones to ensure that drainage water is not released into storm water drains or water bodies.

He stated that in recent visits too it had come to light that this was happening even when instructions were issued in the past.

Officials said VMC engineers had been sighting several technical issues that had made it difficult to divert the drainage water elsewhere. Sugoor said various possibilities are being examined to provide a solution to the problem.