Chittoor: Inadequate water supply, choked drains plague Kumar Nagar Colony
Due to no proper supply of water, residents saving water in drums
Chittoor: The residents of Kumar Nagar Colony, one of the slums in Chittoor Municipal Corporation, are grapple daily with several problems. Though the Corporation provided internal roads, there is no proper drainage system causing much problem to the residents in the colony. About 300 families living in this colony which came up, a few decades back, on the encroached lands near Kattamanchi Tank Bund, once a city outskirts.
Lack of proper drainage system causing inconvenience and also unhealthy environment in the area. Residents said that despite many representations, the construction of drains was delayed. Another severe problem affecting the people in the colony was inadequate supply of municipal water. "Water is supplied once in every two or three days forcing us to store the water in tubs or drums," a woman said informing that she spends two to three hours collecting and storing them, leaving aside other household work. "We have no dependable livelihood and are unable to start any self-employment venture due to no banks providing us loans,'' N Sundarachari and others said. "We are paying house tax but the civic authorities are not providing required basic facilities like drains, regular and required water supply for us,'' they averred.
Indrani, a housewife, was critical of elected representatives more so the Corporator of the colony turning a blind eye on their problems.
Jyothi , a 70-year-old SC woman lamented that though she was eligible for pension, it was not sanctioned to her. Many residents also complained that there is no regular clearing of garbage and also sweeping of the streets. Veluswamy regretted that no house site was sanctioned to many homeless poor residing in the colony under Jagananna Housing scheme. Residents said their demands including construction of a community hall with a mini library and a park remain unsolved for long and added that the Corporation was getting funds for slum development but it is yet to reach us.