Heavy rainfall brings misery to Katihar residents

KATIHAR: Monsoon rains for the past 4-5 days have brought miseries for traders, office-goers, commuters and others as rainwater, sewage, besides drain water have overtopped several thoroughfares of the town, including the MG Road area.
Sanjay Kumar Singhania, an office-bearer of the North Eastern Chamber of Commerce, Katihar chapter, said, "During the rainy season, waterlogging problems are seen not only in Katihar town but across the district.Besides, several culverts (small bridges) in the district have just one slab, instead of two. The gaps in culverts often leads to accidents during the rainy season.”
Singhania further said, “The municipal corporation has enough resources and manpower to clean the drains of the town falling under more than 40 wards of the town. Municipal workers can clean the drains of a ward in a single day. This his exercise could have been completed in one-and-a half months. But, why is this work starts only when the monsoon approaches is a mystery.”
He also questioned the logic behind carrying out the construction of drains along the MG Road and others during the rainy season. It was not the appropriate time to start the work, he added.
Ajay Dalmia, a machinery shopowner on MG Road, said, "Several traders have constructed buffers in front of their shops to stop rainwater from entering their premises. Just 20-30 minutes of rain converts this road into a pond. Our several representations to the municipal corporation have fallen on deaf ears.”
A mobile shopowner on the condition of anonymity, said, “Rainwater comes in contact with sewage because drains along the road are open. Besides, the outlet point for draining out stagnant water is choked with filth and garbage.”