Abandoned bldg site causing health scare

Nagpur: Stagnant water accumulated at an abandoned building construction site on a 10,000 sq ft land between Ramkrishna Colony and Nelco Society in south-west Nagpur is fast turning into breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Residents of both the societies now fear threat of vector-borne diseases at a time when the civic body is trying to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
To make matters worse, some residents of the area regularly dump garbage in the ditch filled with rainwater even as foul smell and mosquitoes have made life difficult for those living nearby.
Residents said that a disaster is waiting to happen, while claiming that the NMC is yet to take action in case of an abandoned building at Khamla Square even after high court’s stringent remarks.
“We have been following up on the issue with NMC’s Laxmi Nagar zone since 2007,” said Satish Ambulkar, a resident of Nelco Society, while referring to the land between Ramkrishna Colony and Nelco Society.
The biggest problem is dispute over ownership. According to residents, the 10,000 sq ft land was reserved as a public utility (PU) space. The PU land was sold for Rs70 lakh in the early 1990s in a questionable manner, said Ambulkar.
Now, the land belongs to a hotelier from city. Construction work started in 2011, which was later challenged by a few residents citing it to be a PU land. The construction work stopped after plinth level and site now lies abandoned.
The case is pending in court. “NMC is unable to issue notice to owner of the land which has practically ceased to exist,” said health officials from Laxmi Nagar zone.
Ambulkar said many times the stench becomes so unbearable that people have to keep their windows and doors shut. “In the evening, mosquitoes come in swarms. NMC is sitting pretty despite being aware of the problem. Moreover, some antisocial elements consume liquor at the place in the night and throw bottles there,” he said.
“We have complained to former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is an MLA representing the area, and to mayor Sandip Joshi during his Janta Darbar. We only got assurances and no action was taken,” said another resident Siddesh Najpande.
Joshi told TOI that the issue will be resolved.
Residents also stated that they have even registered complaint through an app launched by municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. They claimed that health department officials from the Laxmi Nagar zone have assured to carry out disinfection of the abandoned premises but can’t resolve the issue citing pending court case.