Demand for stormwater drains in Saroornagar grows shriller

Saroornagar:The Saturday's cloudburst once again gave nightmares to city dwellers, especially those staying in colonies abutting the gushing lakes. Overflowing drains and houses and colonies in knee-length waters have become a common sight in Saroornagar whenever it rains. Vexed up with no permanent solution being provided by Greater Hyderabad Municipal authorities to prevent flooding of nearby areas, the locals demanded the civic body to build stormwater drains at the earliest.

They further alleged that the continuous dumping of plastic and other wastes besides the immersion of idols, has turned the water in the lake into a cocktail of toxic chemicals producing unbearable stench. Further, the plastic dumped was choking the drains leading to blockage of sewer lines causing heavy inundation in colonies. Whenever it rains, the nearby colonies including P&T Colony, Kodandaram Nagar, Tapovan Colony, Sai Nagar and Green Park get inundated. "The inundation of colonies has become a regular phenomenon whenever it rains. Two years ago, the GHMC has promised to take up the desilting works of the lake. However, nothing changed. We are forced to spend sleepless nights whenever it rains heavily with our colonies getting flooded badly," said Ramesh Rao, a resident of Kodandaram Nagar.

"Last year, the civic body proposed to take up construction of stormwater drains, but that seems to be only on papers. With rains, the situation is turning from bad to worst. Despite several appeals, the authorities concerned have done nothing to prevent flooding of surrounding areas of the lake," echoed Sai Kumar, a resident of P&T Colony.

"It has becomes a herculean task for us to clean our homes every time it rains and our colonies and homes get flooded. It is high time the GHMC takes concrete steps to clean the lake and protect the colonies from inundation," added another resident of Saroornagar, R Kumar.