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| Devika sewerage project hits normal life in Udhampur | | Manhole blockages, broken roads-streets add to public miseries | |  Ashwani Sharma
Early times Report
Udhampur, Mar 2: Residents of Udhampur continue to suffer due to ‘sub-standard work’ on the much talked about Devika Sewerage Project which has increased problems in the town as roads and lanes were not-repaired after laying sewerage network of pipes below the earth while the manholes of the project overflow in rainy days leaving litter on roads disturbing normal lives.
As per sources work on the project which started in the year 2019 is still incomplete as restoration work of roads and lanes apart from household connections has not been yet done in the whole town.
“Vehicles plying over roads broken by the sewerage project face inconvenience and similar remains the case of pedestrians,” sourav Sharma, 35, a resident of Phangyal said adding: “The sewerage manholes are constructed much above the road level which always poses accident threat and it’s live example industry estate to Buha Rani road at w.no 21 in Udhampur town.
Similar concern was expressed by another resident of the town who claimed that more than 70 per cent of the funds earmarked for the project have been spent but the project is still incomplete even after five years of its start.
Mahesh Banathia, 32, a businessman at Dhar Road claimed that earlier the roads were better but the sewerage project has smashed most of the roads and streets in the town badly hitting normal lives.
Former Councillor of Udhampur Municipal Council, Priti Khajuria said that household connectivity with sewerage pipes to a large area in the town was done wrongly as it now leaves foul smell.
She claimed that main reason for most of the problems due to sewerage project is lack of staff with the executing agency Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) which preferred subletting after subletting all the vital works of the project.
“In rainy season the manholes overflows and litter comes out on road creating nuisance,” Priti maintained adding: “Even a slight rainfall in the town turns the broken roads and streets slippery and many people have fallen due to that and were badly injured.”
Sources in UEED informed that the sewerage project in the town was one of the components of Pollution Abatement of Devika and Tawi River in Udhampur while another component was Development of Ghat at Devika rivulet.
They informed that dedicated operation maintenance team of the project addresses all the issues including overflow " Waste from the sewerage is being collected at three STPs. Some restoration work for roads and streets is pending though most of it has been completed and the pending one will also be completed soon. Whenever funds are released, the contractors will be duly paid. Paucity of funds has slowed down the pace of work, " says Executive Engineer UEED, Vijay Singh Manhas
On overflowing of manholes in rainy season they said that three Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) of the project have collective capacity of 13.6 MLD but on rainy days excessive water enters the system from improper drainage system in most part of the town and this also causes overflow of manholes.
“The traditional drainage system at residential houses in the town also exits rainwater from homes into the sewerage system and adds to the problem,” they maintained adding: “Now UEED has started inspections during which it is disconnecting about 30-40 connections daily which discharge unwanted waters to sewerage system through kitchen waste water.”
They further informed that while cleaning manholes, the sanitary workers even found polythene bags, sanitary pads, diapers, plastic bottles etc.
On roads-streets left unrepaired after laying sewerage pipes, the sources said that all over India there are guidelines under National River Conservation Programme (NRCP) like ‘Namami Gange’ to restore only the portion of road trenched (dug out) by the construction agency.
“Paucity of funds in Udhampur hindered the restoration work of roads and streets but now higher authorities have intervened and directions have been passed on to PWD R&B Udhampur to restore the roads as funds will now be given to PWD for the work,” the sources further said.
They informed that for the year 2023 contractors were not paid even a penny though they received Rs. 7 crore which was their pending payment for the work they accomplished in the year 2022.
“Now liability of the contractors has reached many crores and they have stopped the works,” reliable sources in UEED informed.
When contacted Executive Engineer UEED, Vijay Singh Manhas informed that the sewerage project was almost complete and household connections have been given in most parts of the town.
“Waste from the sewerage is being collected at three STPs,” he maintained adding: “Some restoration work for roads and streets is pending though most of it has been completed and the pending one will also be completed soon.”
Manhas claimed that restoration work was delayed due to winters but by March end most of this work will be completed.
On contractors claiming that their money has not been released he said that whenever funds will be released, the contractors will be duly paid but paucity of funds has slowed down the pace of work. |
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