NAROWAL: DPO House Road and Convent School Road have been submerged in sewage for the last three months due to choked sewerage lines.

Due to inadequate drainage of sewage, knee-deep water accumulates on roads. Instead of clearing the chocked lines, the Narowal Municipal Committee directs the sewage to vacant plots in the residential area.

This has created never-going stinking air in the area causing respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases among the residents. Moreover, the sewage in plots provides a breeding ground to flies and mosquitoes.

Mohammad Ilyas and Mohammad Jameel, of residents Farooq Gunj, said that the sewerage lines from DPO House to Cemetery Road and Mohalla Farooq Ganj have been choked for the last three months. They said that requests had been made to the municipal committee to resolve the issue but no action had been taken.

Mohammad Asif and Rustam Ali said that after heavy rains, the sewage entered their houses.

“We’ve to pass through the dirty water every day to go to our businesses and jobs,” said Asif. Rustam said that it was very unfortunate that several funeral processions had to pass through the shit to go to the graveyard. He said the deputy commissioner had been approached several times but to no avail.

Muhammad Pervaiz Akhtar, chief officer of the Municipal Committee said that the sewerage lines of DPO House and Church Road had been closed. He said he fully realized the plight of the people, but he was helpless due to limited resources.

He said the deputy commissioner had also requested the Punjab government to provide funds for the sewerage project on Chan Pir Road, Eid Gah Road and Old Kachehri Road. When they got funds, they would start work on the project.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2020