Societies form association to tackle flooding menace

VADODARA: Repeated flooding and their unsuccessful appeals to bring a long-term solution for flooding of Vishwamitri river has forced the residents of Siddharth Bungalows to up the ante against the civic administration.
After last year’s massive floods in the city, the residents have gathered more societies that are regularly affected by floods to form an association, named Flood Victims of Vadodara.
Talking to TOI, Hitesh Patel, president of the association, said, “There are many other societies which get inundated every year and the only reason is that the river’s capacity has decreased due to various reasons. But over the years neither the government nor the civic administration have done anything to correct the problem.”
Shah said that the residents personally went and met members of these societies to explain them why it is necessary to have an association and fight unitedly to solve a common problem.
“So far around 40 resident welfare associations from areas like Sardar Estate, Ajwa Road, Karelibaug, Manjalpur and Vishwamitri have extended their support to this group. We are not taking money from any of these societies but just want support for our initiative,” said vice-president of the association Manish Shah.
Flood Victims of Vadodara also wrote letters to CM Vijay Rupani as well as urban development and urban housing department this year, but no satisfactory response has been received so far.
The members also met municipal commissioner Nalin Upadhyay to clear the debris along the river on Sama-Savli Road. “After our repeated appeals they have only done the pre-monsoon cleaning which they should do it otherwise too. But the construction debris still lie as it is,” Patel added.