Team Mangalorean Solved a Issue where Peoples Lives Revolved around Stagnant Sewage Water
Team Mangalorean Solved a Issue where Peoples Lives Revolved around a Pool of Stagnant Sewage Water which was creating Stench and Squalor, and also Health Concerns, for over two weeks, at the end of Nellikai Road, which is under construction.
Mangaluru : Life revolved around Sewage Water, Stench and Squalor, if you happened to be in the vicinity of Nellikai Road, near Bunder 48 hours ago. Yours Truly of Team Mangalorean on Friday while on my way to Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry located in Bunder, came upon a ugly and pathetic scene at the end of Nellikai Road, which joins the Bunder road, where a huge pool of stagnant slimy green sewage water was creating stench and squalor, and has been like that for the last 15 days.
As one entered this vicinity, it was hard to miss this large pool of stagnant sewage water spread across a large area, and the dirty water was even flowing onto the street. “Living amid the stench and squalor has been our way of life for over two weeks. Mosquitoes swarm throughout the day and people have fallen sick. Our repeated complaints to the contractor of the road construction and also to the concerned officials remained all in vain. Who cares about us anyway?” said Mohammed Ibrahim who runs a snacks shop just a few metres from the sewage pool.
Yet another mother of two children, Haseena Banu waiting for the school bus near this pool of stagnant water, to send her children to the school speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “This is ridiculous, having such a large pool of dirty sewage water for the last so many days, which could result in vector borne diseases. And no one from the district administration nor MCC has come forward to solve this problem. I live just a block from this dirty pool in a apartment, and the smell emanating from this stagnant sewage water is unbearable during certain times, and we have to keep our doors and windows shut all the time”.
Harish Kumar, yet another shop owner near to this ‘dirty area’ said, “Our MLA Vedavyas Kamath who is more concerned about people who opt to die by jumping off the Netravati bridge, and planning to install CCTV cameras, is least concerned about us who are let here to die either of Dengue, Malaria or other vector borne diseases due to this stagnant sewage water for days. Our repeated complaints have proved no results, thereby leaving us with no option than to bear this stench and worry about health concerns”.
An offshoot of this sewage issue has also been the phenomenon of people falling sick in the last few days in that area. Pratibha (name changed) a senior citizen living close by said her six-year-old grandson was down with fever for the past one week. “Even after taking medicines, he was suffering from diarrhea and high fever. After we went to the doctor who gave him an injection, he is a bit better now,” she said. Barefooted children were also seen playing outside as sewage water flowed across the street.
The sewage pool, which is choked with plastic waste and garbage, had become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. “Mosquitoes swarm and attack us throughout the day. Not everyone here can afford to buy mosquito repellents,” said a paan beeda shop owner. Listening to the stories of all these people, Yours Truly of Team Mangalorean, after finding out that the road construction on Nellikai Road was part of the Smart City Development Project, quickly made a call to the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd office located inside MCC building, and spoke to the top person ( who wanted to remain anonymous) in the MSCL and explained to him about the issue, for which he readily agreed to take care of the situation as quickly as possible.
….And this is how the area looks after the issue had been solved by MSCL
And, yes this concerned official of MSCL did keep his promise, by rectifying the “Stinky” issue which was unattended for over two weeks- and by Saturday the problem was solved. But why even the concerned officials turned a blind eye towards issue, when there has been quite a few deaths related to Dengue, Malaria and many other vector borne diseases? But finally, this area on Nellikai road is free from stagnant sewage water, and Team Mangalorean feels proud of its community service. Thanks also to MSCL officials for their quick action, but definitely unlike MCC??
