Panchkula: Heavy rain throws life out of gear in Sector 19

Residents accused the MC of not cleaning drainage pipes, which were choked with mud, garbage etc.




Over a thousand residents of HUDA Colony, Housing Board flats and Ferozpur village in Sector 19 witnessed a nightmare unfold before them, as rain water entered their houses and paralysed their daily routine for at least 8-10 hours on Thursday. The rainfall that begun late in the night, continued till 8 am.

Subsequently, the water level in the colony increased and entered the houses, damaging household items, including furniture. Locals claimed that they face similar inconvenience, every time it rains heavily.

Later, the people called the Municipal Corporation staff members, who drained the stagnant water with the assistance of water pumps. Residents accused the MC of not cleaning drainage pipes, which were choked with mud, garbage etc. They also claimed that water from the nearby areas of Baltana and Dhakoli came into their locality.

“HUDA Colony was constructed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), but later it came under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation, Panchkula. Now, neither HUDA nor the MC does anything for the betterment of the area. The rains paralysed the routine life here. The MC authorities arranged for a water pump, which stopped working after merely half an hour. The water decreased on its own by 12 pm,” rued Kamlesh Lohat, President of local Resident Welfare Association, Sector 19.

A resident of HUDA Colony, Sudhir Singla said, “The rain water started entering my house around 8 am. As we have been facing the problem of water-logging year after year, during heavy rainfall, I had shifted most of the luggage on the first floor. Life becomes miserable during every heavy rains in this area. Mohali administration blamed Panchkula authorities for the water chaos and Panchkula authorities blame Mohali authorities.”

Residents also informed that the deliberately increased height of the speed breakers in adjoining Baltana and Dhakoli area, which falls in Mohali district, pushes the water backwards in the direction of HUDA colony, Sector 19, during the rain.

Congested sewage water pipelines and absence of drainage system at Guru Nanak Colony on Mubarikpur road near Derabassi left the local residents stranded inside their house as water-logging was seen in the streets, due to the early morning heavy rain Thursday. Residents blamed the district administration’s apathy for the situation.

A resident, Sushil Kumar said, “Authorities promised that rain water would not be a problem after the laying of sewage water pipelines, but for the last five years, the situation has been worsening during rains. Some of the streets in the colony are yet to be made concrete.”

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