Bhopal: Encroachment by certain housing societies on a nullah flowing along Sneh Nagar on Hoshangabad road is causing inconvenience to its residents. The nullah that flows along Bawariya-Kalan and Jaatkhedi area and passes through Sneh Nagar leads to waterlogging in the area during rains. In 2016, rain-fed nullah had inundated the colony and a similar scene was witness recently when the overflowing nullah following heavy downpour had left the colony waterlogged.
According to sources, Aranyawali Grih Nirmaan society, Holy Cross Grih Nirmaan Society and some of the colonies being developed by BDA have encroached upon the nullah land disrupting its flow. The nullah has shrunk to such an extent that every year during monsoon, water overflowing from it floods the colony.
The residents fear that a fresh bout of rain will again bring nullah in full spate and water will gush into their houses causing loss to property and valuables. D Dutta, the chairperson of the Sneh Nagar society said that they have filed several complaints with the municipal authorities demanding clearing of encroachment and cleaning of nullah but no steps were taken.
A retired Judge, BS Parmarth, who lives in Mohini colony in Sneh Nagar, said that in 2016 the overflowing water from nullah had led to waterlogging in the area and even submerged his car. Now, that the nullah area has been encroached and rains have arrived I fear that again water from the overflowing nullah will flood our house as it is located very close to it, said Parmarth. “I often feel I should have purchased the house elsewhere as the loss I incurred in 2016 was never fully compensated by the insurance company or by the civic authorities, he added.
The nullah should be 25-feet wide but as you can see it is hardly 10-feet, which lead to overflow of dirty water during rains, said the retired judge, adding “One could imagine the situation during incessant rain.” Rajan Pahare, a retired chief engineer of the PHE, said that faulty construction of the nullah was responsible for waterlogging in the area. Recently, during rains water from overflowing nullah had gushed into our colony. Strong current of overflowing nullah broke our colony’s boundary wall and soiled water had entered into our houses, rued Pahare.
Our colony was under knee-deep water and this happened when it rained only for an hour, he said, adding that civic body authorities should take notice of it. One of the resident said that nullah has been encroached by over seventy per cent, and we had taken the matter to authorities but to no avail.
Leader of opposition in Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mohammad Sageer said that residents of Sneh Nagar have encroached upon the nullah area which is hampering the water flow. Colony boundary walls have been illegally extended upto 15-feet and nullah is coming under the encroachment, he added.
