Villagers peeved over dysfunctional sewage plant
PK Jaiswar
Amritsar, March 19
Residents of the historic Bhakna Kalan village, located on the Amritsar-Attari road, are peeved over the dysfunctional sewage treatment plant in the village.Even after approaching the officials concerned for a number of times, they have got no respite residents say.
Bhakna is the ancestral village of revolutionary Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, founder president of the Ghadar Party. Residents of the area said that the sewage treatment plant was established in the village a few years ago.
However, there has been no drainage for the wastewater for months, leaving the area vulnerable to diseases.
Rupinder Singh, a native of the village, said, “Summer has almost set in. The waterlogged spots have become breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. Sanitation officials have turned a blind eye towards this. The sewage treatment plant is not being maintained properly.”
Another resident, Gurmail Singh, said that the sewage treatment plant was established in the residential area of the village. “Such plants are set up out of residential areas. But the authorities concerned got it constructed in the residential area. The electric motor of the plant developed a snag several months ago and the authorities did not bother to repair the same. Foul smell emanates from it, making it a hell-like situation for us,” he said.
Inderdev Handa, Junior Engineer, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, said, “The plant is being maintained by the Gram Panchayat Working Committee. The committee has the responsibility of collecting money from villagers having sewage connection and pay to the contractor for maintenance. The committee has failed to do so. We have held meetings with the committee members but nothing positive has come out. Now, the former sarpanch of the village has taken the responsibility and sought a meeting with villagers and the officials concerned. Hopefully, the problem will be resolved soon.”