Toxic stew: Choked drain leaves half of Sec 19 wading in sewage

NOIDA: Backflow from a drain that forks through Sector 19 has been finding its way into the homes and parks in the area for some time and the recent showers have only compounded the woes.
“We are surrounded by grey-black goo smelling like garbage,” RC Gupta, RWA president of Sector 19, said.
The trouble compounded during the renovation of the drain number 2 in Sector 27, he said. No outlet has been created for the drain water beyond Sector 19 that has left nearly 50% of Sector 19 inundated. After the recent rainfall, residents said, one pump had been deployed to bail out the stagnant water, but the work has been excruciatingly slow.
“The Noida Authority has started the repair and maintenance work on drain number 2 without a plan to divert the dirty water. The roads are now covered in muck and gunk. The green belt inundated with dirty and pungent water. We living in a toxic stew,” Gupta said. He added blocks A, B, and C of Sector 19 were worst affected.
The residents fear that the condition might aggravate with the onset of the monsoon. “Residents are facing difficulties due to this civic mess. This is a health hazard as we are having to live amidst stench, and it is detrimental for senior citizens and children,” said Gupta.
Laxmi Narain, RWA general secretary of Sector 19 further maintained that many, especially senior citizens are complaining of “breathlessness, giddiness, chest pains, constriction of the lungs, coughing and irritations to the eyes.”
Meanwhile, the RWA members met Prabash Kumar ACEO and Avinash Tripathi OSD of Noida Authority on Wednesday to seek a solution to the persistent problem. Vijay Rawal, project engineer of Noida Authority apprised that till the renovation work of drain number 2 is under way in Sector 27, they will try and divert the water before it enters Sector 19. “Nearly 70% of the repair work is complete and will be ready by June end. We have installed sump wells in Sector 19 to avoid waterlogging. The problem will be resolved soon,” said Rawal.