MCC to repair and lay new underground drainage lines in Mangaluru

The Mangaluru City Corporation is proposing to seek ₹1,200 from the government of Karnataka for repair of old underground drainage (UGD) lines, laying new lines and for filling the gaps in the UGD network, said Deputy Commissioner and Mangaluru City Corporation administrator H.V. Darshan, in Mangaluru on December 18.

This was stated by Mr. Darshan in response to complaints about untreated sewage being let into drains by some households in the city, during his phone-in programme held at the MCC headquarters.

Among the reasons for letting untreated sewage into the drain, Mr. Darshan said:

• Some apartments have come up, off narrow roads, by showing the road as proposed 18-metre road

• Some apartments do not have their own Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

• Some apartments have STPs that are old and no longer operational

• Some apartments do not have enough space to have a new STP

• Some houses are not connected to the underground drain network

The problem of untreated sewage entering storm water drains has come up before the district In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. The MCC plans to connect all households in Mangaluru to the UGD network.

“We will seek about ₹1,200 crore in the forthcoming State Budget for connecting households to the UGD network. This will also cover repair of the old UGD lines, and also missing links to the UGD lines,” the DC said.

Savitri Devi, a resident of Yekkur, and Usha Nayak, a resident of Naguri, said a good amount of untreated sewage water was flowing in the drains in their areas. Nauseating smell from the water was casing problem for residents living near the drain. The residents were also affected by mosquitoes that breed in stagnant sewage water, they said.

A resident of Bikarnakatte pointed out that similar problems were caused in their locality due to a residential apartment complex.

Mohammed Saleem from Mahakalipadpu accused three residential apartments in his area of letting untreated water into the drain.