Waterlogging exposes Kanpur Municipal Corporation claims

KANPUR: The recent off- season rains exposed claims of Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) that the drainage system of the city is quite good. Against the claim, the city witnessed water logging at several places. KMC used to float tenders every year to clean the nullahs/drains of the city in the month of May but the tenders could not be floated due to Urban Local Body elections. The off-season rains forced KMC officials to seek permission from the Election Commission to start nullah cleaning.
KMC used to spend around Rs 7 crore for cleaning the nullahs. The engineering department had made a budget of Rs 4.21 crore for cleaning and desilting of around 264 nullahs /drains. On the other hand, the health department would spend Rs 2.70 crore in cleaning around 1209 small drains. According to KMC officials, cleaning of drains had already started and the engineering department had already started desilting Sisamau, Taffco and Muir Mill nullahs.
Health officer Amit Singh said, “Due to the election code of conduct tenders could not be floated. But the GNT company which was in the KMC’s panel was entrusted to clean the nullahs between May 4 and June 30”.