Residents of Nabha have raised serious concerns over the alleged poor desilting of drains in the town, accusing local authorities of ignoring repeated complaints ahead of the rainy season. The residents have also shared videos on social media and submitted complaints to the Patiala Deputy Commissioner, alleging that drains are either partially cleaned or remain filled with silt.
Heated Exchange with Contractor
A video showing a heated exchange of words between residents and the contractor engaged in the desilting work has gone viral. Reet Iqbal Singh, a resident of Ward Number 7, said he had complained to the Deputy Commissioner on June 10 regarding the quality of work. He alleged that despite the complaint, several portions of the drain along the cinema road had not been cleaned properly.
Naresh Sharma, a resident of Ward Number 13, claimed that many stretches of the drain continued to be clogged with silt. Nirmal Singh, Aman Bansal, and others claimed that large parts of the town could face waterlogging during even light rainfall if drains on the stretch from Jatta Wala Baas to Chhajju Bhatt were not cleaned properly.
Work Orders and Costs
The work order for desilting of three drains has been awarded to a contractor for Rs 8.5 lakh by the local Municipal Council, while the cleaning of the Munna Lal Kanda–Chhajju Bhatt drain will cost Rs 10 lakh. Several other drains are to be cleaned by municipal employees at their own level.
MC Officials Assure Action
Following the complaints, MC official Amit Kumar Dureja visited the sites and assured the local residents that the work would be carried out properly. The Nabha SDM APS Somal told the media that the Executive Officer of the MC would be asked to address public grievances.
