Apathy writ large on drainage system

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 12: The drainage on the side of the Irabot Road near Temporary Market and Rupmahal Tank has remained clogged in the absence of proper maintenance.
The drainage stretch which is just about 40-50 metres long has become a nightmare for the market goers, vendors and locals during rainy days.
Clogged with plastics, bottles and garbage disposed of by people including vendors, the water rises upto the level of the road and overflows during rainfall.
Speaking to this reporter, a woman vendor said the drainage has remained clogged for some time and yet the authorities concerned have not taken any step to dredge or unclog it.
The condition of the drainage is deteriorating and is expected to worsen during the rainy season, she said.
During rainfall, the stagnant water would overflow and deposit the filth, plastics, and bottles on the road, she said.
While the Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) and related authorities have failed to properly maintain the drainage system, the shops and nearby vendors are also partly responsible for the deteriorating condition of the drain, she said.
She said shops and vendors nearby often discard waste near or into the drain.
The IMC does clean the road/drainage sometimes, but it doesn't last long, especially when people are dumping waste negligently, she added.
Commuters said Imphal city has improved under the Smart City scheme but certain areas of the market remain neglected.
Many roads in areas including Thangal Keithel have improved and become easy to commute, but the road from Temporary Market to Rup Mahal Tank has remained filthy, they said.
Cleaning and unclogging the drainage and blacktopping the road would beautify the city, they added.