The Times of India 09.03.2013
Unauthorized structures on lake
BHUBANESWAR: Around 1,000 residents of Unit-IX
are trapped in a locality with no direct road to the main thoroughfare.
Between Rajpath to the west and Janpath to the east, there is only one
connecting road for these residents in Ward 36.
Unauthorized construction on a lake, which runs through the north side
of the locality, has choked roads. Although the residents have brought
the matter to the notice of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), no steps have been taken, locals alleged.
"In November last year I had written to BMC mayor regarding the
problem. I had specifically mentioned in the letter that a portion of
Unit-IX is cut off from the mainstream due to encroachment
on general administration land for lake development," said Prabhakar
Rout, a senior citizen of the locality. He said GA had sanctioned
construction of the road (presently encroached on by slum-dwellers) way
back in 1975.
"Since the lake development is delayed, the
proposed 40-ft road on lake side is also yet to be constructed. This
portion of the ward is highly neglected with basic facilities like
drainage and sewerage lying in bad shape," Rout said.
Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has developed the lake on Rajpath side. Towards Janpath, it is yet to be developed.
The residents dread the rainy season. It being a low-lying area,
rainwater rushes to the locality from Unit-III area. "There is no way
for discharge of rainwater. So the rainwater flows through drains and
roads as well," said a resident. He said unless the lake is developed
and the road is opened, the problem will persist.
Corporator of
the ward Sheikh Nizamuddin said the BDA has taken up the lake
development work. "Once the lake is developed, it will solve the road
problem of the locality adjacent to lake," said Nizamuddin. He said BMC
can't do anything on the matter.
About the slum dwellers
encroaching on the lake area and choking the roads, he said he has put
forth a proposal before the corporation to rehabilitate the
slum-dwellers in Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) houses. "The slum-dwellers
can't be evicted unless they are rehabilitated. So unless IAY houses are
approved, the area won't be free from encroachment," the corporator
said.
