Overflowing Manholes & Leaking UGD Pipelines Pose Health Hazards to the People
Mangaluru: While the authorities from the District Administration, Mangaluru City Corporation, and Health Department are talking about the rise in Dengue and malaria and other diseases, and urging the people to take precautions, however, the same authorities have turned a blind eye to a bunch of Overflowing manholes and leaking Underground Drainage (UGD) pipelines, which have been posing health risks to the motorists and especially, the pedestrians. Leakage in underground drainage (UGD) pipelines and overflowing manholes in the city have been a major cause of concern for people.
People are fed up with walking on roads where sewage from manholes overflows. In fact, the old UGD pipeline network commissioned in the city in 1971, has been causing incidents of leakage due to overload at Kudroli, Bejai, Bunts Hostel Circle and several other places in the city. Even as the sewage leakage mess continues, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) is yet to find a permanent solution for the issue. “Pedestrians are forced to walk on the sewage that flows on the road. It not only emits a foul smell but will also cause the spread of diseases,” said corporator Abdul Latheef.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean Latheef said, “Corporators, including myself, have been raising the issue of UGD leakage issue in every council meeting. Serious efforts need to be taken to prevent instances of UGD leakage in the city, which is a hub of education, the health sector and tourism,”. MCC commissioner Anand CL said that the city corporation lacks consultants for effective maintenance of UGD networks. “The city corporation council has already decided to appoint a third-party technical consultant to maintain UGD in the city. The process in this regard is being handled by the MCC engineering section. Once the third-party technical consultant is appointed, the city corporation will be able to maintain the UGD and prevent leakages in future, based on their technical guidance,” added Anand C L.
Premanand Shetty, chief whip of the council, said that the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) has earmarked Rs 15 crore to upgrade UGD wet wells at Pandeshwar, Kudroli, Kandathippalli and other places. “There is a need for a comprehensive plan to solve the UGD leakage issue in the city. The city corporation will invite tenders and take up the work of upgrading wet wells. Meanwhile, MSCL will make payment to the tune of Rs 15 crore,” added Shetty.
At the monthly meeting of the council, the Opposition Congress councillors said that the maintenance of UGD or sewer network has totally collapsed in the city. Senior Congress councillor Lancelot Pinto said that many manholes in the city are now overflowing with sewage flowing on the road and in the drains. “The maintenance has totally failed,” he said, urging Mayor Jayananda Anchan to call an urgent meeting to address the problems. Executive Engineer Naresh Shenoy told the meeting that of 21 wet wells in the city, three – at Abbakka Nagar, Faisalnagar and Bajal – are not functioning due to machinery problems which are being addressed. In addition, many manholes built earlier using laterite stones have become weak or collapsed. He stressed the need to have a separate consultant to look into the design and other aspects of the UGD network.
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