Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : Due to intermittent heavy rains for the last five days, water mixed with drain water has entered the houses in the low lying areas including Sadar Hospital, Ara, forcing he residents of these areas, patients and doctors to wade through it. The stink has increased with each passing day y but the officials of Ara Municipal Corporation (AMC) remain indifferent to the plight of the people. Waterlogging is quite visible at Ara Sadar Hospital as the rain water has reached up to the stairs and inundating the whole ground near emergency ward.
The AMC has not sprinkled bleaching powder in the drains and other uncleaned areas due to which it is smelling foul. Incidentally, the AMC had earlier made tall claims about addressing the problem of waterlogging in the town . Bijay Kumar, Krishna Singh, Rekha Kumari and other residents demanded spraying of DDT to address the issue of foul smell in areas around Hari Ji Hata, Professor Colony, Tilak Nagar, Old Policeline, Mirganj, Gausganj, Shivganj, Sheetal Tola, Sheesh Mahal Chowk, Badi Masjid, Devi Sthan, Block Road, Pakari road, Badi Mathia, Karman Tola, Station Road, Bus Stand.
Deputy Superintendent, Sadar Hospital, Ara, Dr Satish Kumar Sinha expressed his serious concern over waterlogging on the campus of the hospital due to unplanned construction of roads and drains. He said the rain water accumulated on the campus had forced the doctors and patientsto wade through it and added that it also creates unhygienic condition.
The Ara residents have to face traffic woes due to the prevailing conditions. Hare Ram Singh, a resident of Shivganj, said that it took him about an hour to reach Hari ji Ka Hata on rickshaw while it takes only 10 minutes on other days. Due to waterlogging and encroachments on various stretches, the vehicles were crawling.
Town Commissioner, AMC, Pramod Kumar, said that the AMC had de-silted drains prior to the monsoon but the locals threw filth and garbage and even polythene bags into them chocking them again. He said once the rainfall stops, the AMC will drain out water logged in different area. Mayor, AMC, Priyam Devi, said that the actual test will start after the rain stops.