PMC has chosen to tag SWaCH employees with its emergency management teams for clogged drains pending work
PMC has chosen to tag SWaCH employees with its emergency management teams for clogged drains pending work
Clogged drains are a key contributing factor to flooded roadways because they prevent rainfall from entering the channels.
29 June 2024
To prevent flooding during this monsoon, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has chosen to tag SWaCH employees with its emergency management teams to remove impediments and allow rainfall to pass via stormwater drains.
According to a PMC official, clogged drains are a key contributing factor to flooded roadways because they prevent rainfall from entering the channels.
During the recent heavy showers in areas such as Deccan Gymkhana, Sinhagad Road, Karve Road, Dhanori, Yerawada and Kalyani Nagar, waterlogging was rampant. Digvijay Pawar, a resident of Sinhagad Road, Dhayari, stated, “ How can the authorities begin to think of solutions after the monsoon has begun, shouldn’t it be done before? There isn’t daily rainfall currently, but once it begins, it’s going to be horrible for the commuters on Sinhagad road, since other issues like construction work, malfunctioning traffic signals, and lack of driver discipline also exist.” It’s high time PMC should come up and implement a one-time solution to the waterlogging, he further added.
Garbage being thrown into stormwater drains can cause blockages. The official acknowledged that the administration chose to bring in the SWACH sanitation workers, who were mostly in charge of the city’s garbage management because the staff members assigned to the fifteen ward offices to empty the drains during intense showers were insufficient.
The PMC is deploying additional staff to address flooding and heavy rain, including SWaCh staffers. The administration has activated a round-the-clock disaster management cell, coordinating with all ward offices to tackle downpours. However, citizens and former corporators have expressed concerns about the administration’s slow response to critical situations like heavy showers and road flooding. A former corporator from the Yerawada area praised the administration’s deployment of additional staff but emphasized the need for proper training for the staff.
