Baloh villagers suffer due to unrepaired road

For over six months, residents of Baloh village in Bilaspur district have been living in worsening conditions, forced to deal with dust and mud due to a damaged road. The situation arose from poor coordination between the Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPH) and the Public Works Department (PWD). The road was damaged during the construction of a sewerage scheme by the IPH, and the PWD has yet to repair it.

The sewerage project, sanctioned at a cost of over Rs 2 crore, involved laying a sewerage line along a half-kilometer stretch of road in the village. However, the slow pace of the work has left residents like Anil Kumar in distress, as dust from the damaged road continuously enters their homes and shops, posing serious health risks. The villagers also face difficulties during the rainy season when the road turns into a muddy mess.

Residents claim that neither the IPH nor the PWD has taken their concerns seriously. Sources within the departments reveal that the PWD demanded Rs 35 lakh from the IPH for road repairs caused by sewerage work, but the IPH has refused to accept the amount, stalling the process. Trilok Jamwal, MLA of Bilaspur, expressed frustration over the government’s delay in completing the sewerage project, highlighting the adverse impact on the villagers due to the poor condition of the road.

Duni Chand Thakur, PWD executive engineer in Bilaspur, confirmed that the road was damaged during the sewerage work and that they are awaiting funds from the IPH to proceed with repairs. On the other hand, Satish Kumar Sharma, executive engineer of the IPH, stated that the sewerage line was laid without damaging the road, and the demand for Rs. 35 lakh by the PWD was unjustified. He assured that the sewerage scheme along the road would be completed soon.

In the meantime, the unresolved dispute between the departments continues to cause hardship to the villagers, as files for the road restoration remain stalled in official paperwork.