Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Chief Secretary Anurag Jain has sought a detailed report from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) regarding the distress caused to 336 families in Rahul Nagar Phase-2, where late-night construction under the Housing for All (HFA) project has severely impacted residents' lives.
Due to the contractor’s negligence, the area has been engulfed in dust and smoke, making it difficult for people to breathe, and the AQI of the TT Nagar area also crossed the 300 mark continuously for two days and remained in the ‘Poor’ category for the whole week.
Residents have been filing complaints repeatedly, and just a week ago, many were forced to remain confined to their homes for nearly 24 hours. Free Press had prominently highlighted the issue in its edition published on November 15.
Shockingly, just 50 meters away from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s Mata Mandir headquarters, pollution levels in the area have begun to resemble those of Delhi. This toxic situation has been created by an agency working for the Corporation itself.
People across the locality are struggling with breathing problems, yet the administration appears unaware. In Rahul Nagar Phase-1 alone, around 336 families are living in suffocating conditions.
Despite numerous complaints, no official from the Corporation visited the site. The ongoing construction under the HFA Phase-2 project has reportedly ignored mandatory environmental and safety guidelines, worsening the air quality.
But according to sources, a few days ago once the CS’s intervention became known, the Corporation immediately halted the construction work.
CS takes cognizance after complaints:
Residents say that for nearly a year, heavy machinery has been operating throughout the night, releasing thick smoke that lingers in the air like poison.
Families have been compelled to keep their doors, windows, and ventilators shut around the clock. After several complaints and questions raised for immediate rise of AQI in TT Nagar, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain and ACS Sanjay Dubey took serious note of the matter and demanded a full explanation from the BMC by Monday.
