Encroachment of drains makes cleaning tough

Kakinada: Most of the drains in the Smart City Kakinada are encroached upon by petty shops, car parking sheds and commercial establishments.

The situation is worse at Elwinpet, Dwarakanagar, Jaggannaickpur, Gandhinagar, Ramaraopet, Karanam-gari junction, Vidyuthnagar and other areas in the city.

Most of the areas with drainage were converted into parking areas and thereby causing obstruction to flow of the sewage water. Some of the sanitary workers are sincere about cleaning the drainages, but they are facing problems in cleaning them which could be solved only by higher officials.

According to the official data, the KMC has over 4.50 lakh population including 1.20 lakh households. The city generates 220 tonne garbage every day and close to 45 MLD of wastewater is being discharged from Victoria filtration point and 40 MLD water from Sashikanth Nagar filtration point daily.

Some of the residents said the officials are not removing encroachments on the drainage pathway and restoring smooth flow of sewage water. Encroachment of the open drains became the order of the day despite human casualties and overflow of sewage water onto the roads. Mostly the drains in the city are covered with concrete slabs which are being encroached on by the residents and establishments which use them as car parking lots.

A few residents of the locality are demanding for the removal of the parking place and help for the restoration of the drainage canal in order to allow the free flow of dirty polluted water.

They are enquiring whether permission has been accorded by the KMC for the parking space and removal of the drainage.

People are alleging that the KMC officials are apathetic about the woes of the public and indifferent to their demands. People are demanding for the immediate removal of encroachments as well as for free flow of drainage water.