Ludhiana: A major seasonal drain has overflowed, spilling sewage across the Dhoka Mohalla residential area during an extended spell of hot and dry weather. The arterial road has turned into a stagnant pool of blackwater, raising health fears ahead of the monsoon season.
Residents Issue Ultimatum
Residents, already suffering under a sweltering heatwave, have given municipal authorities a one-week ultimatum to clear the blockage or face indefinite sit-ins outside government headquarters. They fear that if the drain remains blocked when heavy rains arrive, toxic runoff will inundate their homes, causing catastrophic property damage similar to previous years.
“The situation never changes,” said resident Gagandeep Singh, recalling a similar overflow in February that prompted a street protest outside the municipal corporation office. “They promised us the situation would improve. It normalised for a few days, but now the filthy water is back. When the rains hit, it will enter our homes and destroy our belongings again.”
Councilor Blames Administrative Paralysis
Area councilor Arun Sharma accused municipal bureaucrats of administrative paralysis and broken promises, including a long-delayed storm-sewer project. He noted that a single cleaning machine dispatched by the city on Wednesday had made no impact on the blockage. “The volume of water pushing down toward the Buddha Dariya must be regulated. This excess pressure is causing the drain to wreak havoc on multiple wards. If this is not resolved within seven days, we will launch a permanent protest outside the municipal office and the homes of the mayor and commissioner,” Sharma said.
The flooding has also halted scheduled road maintenance in the area, according to local officials.
Official Response
Kamal Ram, nodal officer for the civic operations and maintenance cell, sought to downplay the crisis, promising that relief was on the way. “We are about to begin a comprehensive cleaning of the drain,” Ram said, estimating the remediation process will take 15 days to resolve the drainage issues permanently.
