By Violet Pereira,Team Mangalorean

Mangalore: Monsoon has hit Dakshina Kannada in full swing, and people have already started facing problems at the same speed.   Mangalorean.com received a call from Bairady Padil, complaining about rain water gushing in the compound of some  residents on June 12.

Even though the area corporator Mohan Padil was called by the residents, there was no response from him. Our correspondent  reached the spot and had to wade through 2-feet-deep water, which was flowing towards the house.

Simon (name changed), a resident whose house is at risk said that since morning the rain water had been flowing from the rear of their house causing soil erosion, and they are scared of losing their house.  "This is the first day of heavy rains. This has happened within a few hours. What will be the situation in the coming days," he lamented.

"Our well water is filled with muddy water. We don't have any alternative source for drinking water.  We have tried to contact our area corporator Mohan. Only once we were able to talk to him. When we tried to reach him again, his mobile had been switched off. This is how our corporator responds to emergencies," he said.

Our correspondent contacted mayor Gulzar Banu and she was apprised of the situation.  As she was in a programme she assured to call back in half an hour.  In the meantime, MLA and deputy speaker of assembly Yogish Bhat and the MCC commissioner were contacted and told about the situation.

Yogish Bhat assured to send engineers Laxman and Narayan to the spot.  Even the commissioner's office accepted the complaint and assured to investigate it.  Later Gulzar Banu enquired with the authorities concerned and said that the highway people should do the work and it did not come under the purview of the city corporation.

According to the residents, the problem is directly related to the national highway work which is half done. The rain water flows through the drainage which is very narrow now compared to what it was at the spot before the national highway work started. 

The previous  drainage was nowhere seen in some places and the rain water was flowing through the compounds of the residents, causing undue hardships.  The well is filled with mud water and anything may happen in the night if the rain continues. Simon's compound is flooded with 2 feet of water, and  the residents were found struggling to block the water flowing through their compound.

The MCC has spent Rs 95 lakh towards the Bairady pond to build walls on 4 sides.  But the Ircon Company which is undertaking the work did not make any arrangements for the flow of rain water. Now the residents fear that the flow of rain water will weaken the retaining walls of the pond and the walls may collapse causing more damage.
 
The Mangalore City Corporation should act swiftly to protect the residents of the area.  Area corporators should help the residents when they are in trouble and not switch off their mobiles when they are most needed, voice the residents.