Jaipur's sewage system clogged even as monsoon waits around the corner

JAIPUR: Monsoon is just a month away and the sewage lines of the city are clogged. Residents are already complaining of overflowing gutters. In the Walled City area, where old sewage lines are coping with the growing population, they are rendered ineffective and choking of gutters has become an everyday problem.
Babulal, resident of Govind Devji Ka Rasta, while talking to TOI said, “Every other day, the sewage gets choked and we have to call the councillor or Jaipur municipal corporation (JMC) authorities.But JMC sanitation workers are never on time, due to which most of the houses have dampness in the walls.”
Mohd Shafi, resident of Adarsh Nagar said that due to foul smell, it has become difficult for people to live in the neighbourhood. “JMC authorities are never on time and houseflies, mosquitoes have now become a menace for us. Hence, we usually pay from our own pockets to the sanitation workers, to clean the gutter, in order to prevent diseases from spreading. The government should change the sewage lines as soon as possible, because with the rise in population, these issues should be tackled in time.”
Jaipur city mayor Vishnu Lahta while talking to TOI, explained that he has been receiving complaints and they are being resolved regularly. “A new project of Rs 80 crore to lay down new sewage lines in the Walled City area will soon be tendered. Tenders were invited two times before, but no one came to make the bidding. Now, we have changed some terms and conditions, and they will soon be invited.”
Meanwhile, the month of June has arrived but the work of desilting of the city drains is still not complete. There are around 827 small drains in the city and about 20 big drains. Though the civic body authorities have claimed that more than 700 small drains have been desilted, residents of the city narrate a different ordeal.
Mohd Gaffur of Nari ka Nakah said that majority of the drains are still choking and no one from the JMC has visited the area for desilting. “The drains get choked every other day and we pay from our own pockets to get them cleaned, as JMC workers do not come on time. No one from the JMC has come to clean these drains for the past one month. With monsoon approaching, it would become more difficult for us,” said Gaffur.
As per the orders of the high court, JMC has to clean up the drains by June 20, but till now, tenders for big drains/nullahs haven’t yet been invited. Lahta said that this has been a long-pending demand and they are in the process of inviting tenders, after which their cleaning work will start. However, experts maintain that JMC said this process will take another two months and monsoon will arrive in July.