Naveen Menezes
Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore

Mangalore, May 30: Residents who stay at Kaikamba on Mangalore - Moodbidri stretch are forced to inhale the foul smell emanating from the open drainage which flows close to their houses. Visitors and residents are greeted to the stagnant dirty water - formed on both sides of the entrance - in addition to the fact that it has been a breeding house for mosquitos as well.

Mary D’Cunha (75) lives right next to the public drainage but her plea to the authority concerned has gone unheard for years. She says, "We have approached the panchayat umpteen times pleading them to do neccessary work so that the drainage water flows smoothly and it is not left open. But our efforts have not paid off and our complaint has not been taken seriously."

The open drainage flows adjacant to the compounds of several houses. There are huge weeds, which have come up from the sewege channels thus blocking the free flow of drainage water. As a result, it has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and the foul smell greets the passersby.

"There is no proper concrete work done to channelise the contaminated water," says Mary D'Cunha, who is bed-ridden and lives with her daughter.

Her daughter Tracy Rodrigues, who first brought the issue to daijiworld's notice, is concerned that as her mother is old and unwell, the smell and the mosquitoes can further contirubte to her illness. "We have put mesh on our windows but it's not enough," she says. "The hotels and residents have to either stop releasing the drainage water or some other solution has to be implemented seriously."

Jayanthi Poojary, who lives in the neighbourhood, says, "A few residents have spent money from their pocket to construct a concrete sewege line next to their houses, while those who cannot afford it have to bear with this. The drainage water is flowing from the hotels and residential apartments from somewhere else, and we have to bear the brunt."

Tracy Rodrigues feels the administration's assurance to make the district malaria-free is nothing but a gimmick. "If they are not able to take care of the minor root causes, how can they attempt to make Mangalore disease-free?" she points out.

During the election campaign when MLA Mohiuddin Bava came asking for votes the residents had brought this issue to his notice. At that time he had promised to resolve this issue on priority but till now the situation has not changed. "People around this area including the sick and the old are confined to their homes as the mosquitoes and bad smell do not allow them to breath fresh air. They must shut their window and doors and breathe the fan air 24 hours a day," she laments.

When contacted Padmini S Anchan, president of Gurupur panchayat, said, "The place falls under the limits of Kandavar and Gurupur panchayat. We had a joint meeting of three panchayat on May 26, in the presence of Manjula Paramesh, zilla panchayat standing committee president. Afterwards, all of us visited the area for spot inspection. This is a serious issue", she said.

"Before the arrival of monsoons, we will get the JCB to make way for the smooth flow of dirty water, as a temporary solution. In addition to it, we will write a proposal for funds under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA), as directed by Manjula Paramesh," she said.

"This is a problem created by the hotel owners and the residents of apartments who have let the drainage water out without making proper arrangements for its smooth flow. Hence, it is affecting other residents," she said.