The Times of India             14.06.2013

Kanpur Municipal Corporation demolishes Illegal structures over nullahs

KANPUR: A squad of Kanpur Municipal Corporation demolished 130 permanent structures constructed over a nullah from Karrahi crossing to I block in order to meet the deadline of de-silting of nullahs and drains in the city before the arrival of monsoon.

A few temporary structures which were removed by the owners and some were demolished. The squad broke 130 slabs and opened the nullah which was choked. Now other gang would dig and clean the nullah, said Atul Krishna Singh officer of zone 3.

The city has as many as 160 nullahs and several small drains. KMC had launched a drive to clean and de-silt all nullahs and drains between May 10 and June 15 to avoid waterlogging. Acccording to municipal corporation sources, around 50% target could be achieved so far

City has around 50 main nullahs and de-silting work had yet not started in many. Sisamanu Nullah, which carries sewage and waste and of 35 localities, could not be de-silted and cleaned so far. Residents of Sisamau locality expressed apprehension that heavy rainfall could result into waterlogging and a vast area would be affected. They had faced problems of waterlogging in the area two years back when the nullah could not be de-silted.

The condition of Rafaqa Nullah and C O D Nullah is same. COD Nullah, which flows through Yashodanagar, had been not desilted so far. Pre-monsoon showers which had nit the city last week had turned the several localities near it into islands.

Residents of Pardewanpurwa in Lal Bungalow locality are waiting for desilting of the nullah. They claimed nullah was full of silt and it overflows even in slight rainfall.

At Saketnagar, the nullah was desilted a week ago but its silt is still lying on the road. No efforts have been made by the squad to lift that. A resident of the area said a heavy rainfall would sent the silt once again in the nullah and it would overflow.