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Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
As floodwaters recede, Hailakandi villages face drinking water crisis
1 2 Silchar: Even as the floodwaters of the Dhaleshwari and Katakhal rivers recede in Hailakandi, life for thousands in the flood-ravaged villages remains anything but normal. A thick layer of silt and mud, accompanied by a pervasive stench, has rendered life unbearable in many areas, while a severe drinking water crisis has compounded the woes of residents. The floods, triggered by incessant rains and river swelling, had inundated large parts of the district. District administration sources on Monday said 70 villages still remain flooded, affecting 51,663 people. This includes 16,608 men, 17,816 women, and 17,194 children in Hailakandi. While floodwaters have largely receded, they have left behind a thick deposit of silt in homes, roads, schools and public spaces, making movement difficult and posing serious health risks. "The foul smell from the silt is making it hard to stay indoors. We are forced to live amidst filth," said Ramesh Das, a resident of Rupacherra. Access to clean drinking water has emerged as a major concern, with many piped water supply schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission still non-functional. Villagers are depending on limited hand-pumps and contaminated surface water, raising fears of waterborne diseases. "It has been days since we had access to clean drinking water. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Our children are falling sick," said Rukmini Devi of Lalpani. Official sources said the flood has damaged 102 educational institutions and 28 drinking water supply projects under the PHE department. Public health officials have raised alarm over the likelihood of post-flood outbreaks of waterborne and skin diseases due to the stagnant, muddy water and unhygienic conditions. Adding to the misery, fish farmers have suffered massive losses as ponds and fisheries were swept away by the floodwaters.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Time of India
Contractors Give Two Hoots To Civic Chiefs' Road Digging Ban
1 2 Nagpur: Days after municipal commissioner and administrator Abhijeet Chaudhari issued a strict diktat banning all road excavation from June 1 and mandating full restoration of dug-up roads by May 31, violations continue to be glaringly visible across Nagpur. On Monday, TOI found fresh excavation underway near the busy Old Katol Road square in Mangalwari zone, where a private telecom company was laying underground cables. The digging was in direct defiance of the civic chief's May 27 order. Following a TOI query, chief engineer Manoj Talewar directed the Mangalwari zone office to initiate immediate checks and action. A similar case of unauthorised road work was observed near the State CID office in west Nagpur. Even in the Narendra Nagar area, TOI found road digging was under way. The May 27 high-level review meeting chaired by Chaudhari laid out clear consequences: failure to restore roads dug up for civic works by May 31 would result in steep fines and possible criminal prosecution. He also imposed a blanket ban on fresh road digging during the monsoon across all departments and private utility agencies, warning that violations would trigger police complaints and penalties for negligent engineers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Quedas no banheiro: Como evitar? (Saiba mais) Evite quedas e escorregões Saiba Mais Undo Yet, ongoing utility and pipeline-related activities continue to mar key areas. Under the Pora River Pollution Abatement Project, the NMC's public health engineering (PHE) department dug up over 500km of roads in South-West, South, and Kamptee assembly segments for laying sewer lines. However, only 100km of work was completed so far, and in light of the June 1 ban, PHE superintendent engineer Shweta Banerjee confirmed the department halted fresh digging. "The focus is now on restoring previously dug-up stretches. Around 80% of the restoration was completed, and work is ongoing to finish the remaining 20%," she said, adding that most incomplete sections lie in the South and Kamptee constituencies. Banerjee clarified that only emergency works, such as water pipeline repairs and strengthening interconnections under AMRUT 1.0, will be permitted during the monsoon. Chaudhari also stressed that no debris or rubble should remain unattended, especially in slum pockets where sewer works are underway. Contractors were warned to clear sites thoroughly or face penalties. The sanitation department has been tasked with monitoring compliance. With monsoon approaching, Chaudhari's ultimatum sends a clear message: incomplete roads and public inconvenience will no longer be tolerated. Yet, as the latest findings show, enforcement remains a challenge on the ground.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Road Caves In, Compound Wall Crashes, House Saved By Metres
Nagpur: A 100m stretch of road in Subhan Nagar, Pardi, once again caved in due to the failure of a massive, British-era trunk sewer line running beneath it. This has created a major safety hazard, filling local residents with uncertainty. The latest cave-in also brought down the compound wall and main gate of a bungalow owned by the Khemnani family, with residents narrowly escaping harm. The collapse, which occurred two days ago, is just the latest in a series of infrastructure failures in the area. Locals say the signs were evident: over a period of three years, two breaches in the same 1,200mm diameter trunk sewer line have been reported. However, only superficial patchwork was carried out by Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) public health engineering (PHE) department. With the arrival of the monsoon, rainwater began seeping into the soil, weakening the already fragile ground and accelerating the collapse. "This is a British-era pipeline. Its joints deteriorated over time, and internal settlement of the pipe causes repeated collapses," said Sanjay Mate, executive engineer of NMC's Lakadganj zone, who confirmed that excavation is underway to access the damaged section. "We earlier replaced two pipes here, but the stretch behind them has now given way. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Making history: These 5 timepieces set world records at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 CNA Read More Undo The compound wall that collapsed was sitting on a friction pile, which became unstable during the excavation," he added. According to Mate, the situation is being treated as an emergency. Work is going on to lay new pipes adjacent to the damaged line, and the area around the affected property is being secured. He reassured that the Khemnani bungalow itself, located around 10–15 feet from the damaged zone, is currently not at risk, and access routes for the residents are being maintained. "We carried out major repairs in 2022 and some five months ago too. This marks the third such collapse in the same zone," Mate admitted. "The end pressure on the tail end of this line is very high, and without an alternative sewer line in place, we're unable to fully replace it at once. We do have a long-term plan to overhaul the entire stretch, but it can't be executed until an alternative line is commissioned." Former corporator Pradip Pohane, who visited the site, expressed concern over the repeated collapses. "This is not an isolated issue. Cracks and subsidence have been reported multiple times, and the authorities failed to take preventive action. Now, even the soil beneath homes and parking areas is giving way," he said. Sources in the PHE department identified at least five vulnerable points along the same sewer line in the Subhan Nagar area, indicating that the problem may be far more widespread than currently visible. Residents are demanding immediate, permanent repairs and a complete overhaul of the century-old sewer infrastructure. They fear that continued reliance on ad-hoc solutions — especially during the monsoon — may soon lead to catastrophic damage. "This is not just about inconvenience. Our lives and homes are at stake," a local resident said. "We need action before another collapse puts lives in danger."
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Time of India
J&K govt staffer dismissed for drug case links
JAMMU: Jammu and govt has dismissed a suspended employee of Jal Shakti Public Health Engineering (PHE) department from service for his involvement in a narcotics case. Shabir Hussain, working as a PHE khalasi in Poonch, was named in an FIR under NDPS Act for possession of 4-6 grams of a heroin-like substance. He was remanded in judicial custody from Sept 14 to Oct 28 last year. 'Hussain is also disqualified from any future employment with the govt,' reads the order issued by the department.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
First rain spell exposes unfinished sewer work, bad roads in Hudkeshwar-Narsala
Nagpur: The first monsoon rain has exposed the poor state of road restoration in Hudkeshwar-Narsala area, where major sewer line work is underway under the Rs900 crore Amrut 2.0 Pora River Pollution Abatement Project. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is laying and strengthening over 500km sewerage pipelines across south and south-west Nagpur assembly constituencies. However, despite public health engineering (PHE) department claims that road restoration was on schedule and up to standards, residents find themselves struggling on muddy, damaged roads months after pipe-laying was completed. Contractors dug up several internal roads in Hudkeshwar-Narsala around 3-4 months ago to lay sewer pipelines. While the pipeline work was finished, the PHE department assured that all roads would be restored immediately using proper cement concrete or tar patches. However, these assurances have proved hollow. The roads remain unrepaired with loose soil filling the trenches, which the recent rains have turned into slippery mud traps. Pedestrians face difficulties walking, and vehicles, especially two-wheelers, are at risk of slipping. Several accidents and vehicle breakdowns have already been reported. Local residents accused the contractor of abandoning the road restoration midway and shifting focus to new work elsewhere. The residents' committee, led by chairman Dhanraj Valukar and secretary Satish Kasare, issued a warning of agitation if the roads are not repaired immediately. "Despite repeated complaints, the PHE department and contractors have ignored our plight. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Their tall claims of timely restoration are exposed by the current state of the roads," said Valukar. Other committee members, including Dattraj Hanvate, Sunita Damle, Kiran Ramteke, and activist Mangesh Charde, added that the negligence is causing serious inconvenience and safety hazards. Municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari has issued an ultimatum to the PHE, its public works departments and contractors to ensure all dug-up roads are restored to their original condition. The NMC sought technical guidance from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), which recommended two standard methods for restoring tar and cement concrete roads after pipeline work. However, these guidelines are reportedly being ignored.
