Urban News

Mengraj, who has been residing in Okalipuram for forty five years says that water remains the primal problem in the ward. “It has been over fifteen days since we have received water. The authorities have done little towards this,” he qualms. He also says that the ward lacks a proper drainage system. “You will find open drains in many areas,” he says. In Saibabanagar, another resident on condition of anonymity, says that the water released carried a foul smell. “For the last ten months, the water we receive is smelly. Our complaints are followed by the authorities digging up roads to fix the pipes, and nothing changes,” he said.  

A few hundred metres away are roads that are unasphalted, making life difficult for motorists. Narrow roads, coupled with garbage dumped on each side, show the incautious approach of the authorities. This invariably leads to traffic problems in the Okalipuram area. Also, open drains often lead to water logging during rainfall, giving a hard time for the residents here.

Another concern voiced by residents is safety for women. “We, especially young girls, do not feel safe at around eight in the evening. We have had instances of eve teasing in this area,” said Tejaswini, a student, who said that the policemen on rounds have proved to be ineffective.  

The ward corporator Queen Elizabeth was defiant and quashed all the problems. “Regardless of what people say, there is a significant amount of work being done. We have laid water lines worth `33 lakh and the roads have been tarred,” she said. She also said that the solution for the garbage issue has to be a cooperative effort by public and the authorities. “The ward has four garbage vehicles. The public must ensure timely garbage disposal to avoid unattended heaps of garbage,” she says.