36 hours after rain, several areas in Rohtak still waterlogged

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, July 1

Several low-lying localities remain inundated even 36 hours after the first monsoon shower that lashed the city yesterday. This has inconvenienced residents of the localities forcing many of them either to remain confined to their houses or wade through accumulated rainwater in streets.

‘No help from administration’

Our furniture and other household items are submerged in rainwater. We have spent sleepless nights after rainwater entered our house. Neither the government nor the administration’s representatives have come to help us. A resident, Rohtak

Krishna Colony, Mahavir Colony, Guru Nanakpura, Old Housing Board, Sector 2, 3 and 4 in the city are the worst affected areas. Though the district authorities were busy draining rainwater from these localities till filing of this report, residents were seen crying for installation of more pumps to dewater their streets.

Former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition, Bhupinder Hooda, accompanied by the Rohtak MLA, Bharat Bhushan Batra, took stock of the situation. Both walked through accumulated rainwater in several localities of the city. Hooda also interacted with affected residents and assured them of raising their concerns with the authorities concerned.

Hooda also reprimanded an officer of the Public Health Department for the situation and asked him to ensure draining of water from the localities in the city at the earliest.

People told Hooda that their homes had been waterlogged for the past two days, but the government and the administration remained mute spectators. Some of them also became emotional while sharing their plight with the former Chief Minister.

“Our furniture and other household items are submerged in rainwater. We have spent sleepless night after rainwater entered our house. Neither the government nor the administration’s representatives have come to help us,” said a distressed resident.

Later, talking to media Hooda said the government had left the people to fend for themselves. “It seems as if there is no government in Haryana. Today, the people of the state are facing the brunt of hundreds of crore scams in the AMRUT scheme meant to improve sewerage and drainage systems,” alleged Hooda.

“Scams worth hundreds of crores took place in the name of AMRUT scheme in the entire Haryana, including Rohtak, Gurgaon and Faridabad. BJP leaders themselves levelled these allegations, but no probe has been initiated in this connection till date. The government should get these allegations investigated by the CBI,” said Hooda.

Batra said waterlogging in the city after the first shower had exposed the failure of the authorities concerned. Accumulated rainwater should be drained on a far-footing and affected residents should be given adequate compensation.

Manmohan Goyal, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Rohtak, could not be contacted for his comments regarding the issue.