The 13 “orphaned” wards of the Municipal Corporation are headed for polls on May 15. With candidates filing their nominations to parties intensifying the bypoll campaign, the unlucky wards are looking forward to a new future. The Pioneer visits these wards to asess the ground reality and find out how the show was managed in the absence of councillors.
Of the total 272 wards, 7 South MCD wards, 4 North MCD and 2 East MCD seats have been reeling hosts of problems after their councillors abandoned their seats to fight 2013 and 2015 Assembly elections.
The Tehkhand ward has been vacant since Sahi Ram Palahwan deserted it to fight the 2013 Assembly polls after 13 years. Among the unclean roads and a beeline of camps, the overflowing and stinking garbage dumps tell the sordid tale of neglect. “The stench is unbearbale. It is so difficult to live here and pass through this place and there has been no authority that would have looked after it. The biggest problem here is the garbage,” said Manihar lal, a jhuggi dweller near a Government school. Children of Gola Kua Camp and many other camps have to walk a long distance to go to schools. Soni, 28, a mother of two children rued the fact that they have no other option to travel a mile owing to the scarcity of schools.
Dirt has taken over the camps of Nanakpura ward as well. Due to filthy conditions of Sonia Mandir Camp, Indira Market Camp, Shri Ram JJ Camp and Shahstri Market Camp, there is a fear of an epidemic breaking out looming large in the area. Plus the water supply to these camps have worsened in the last two years,” said a Congress leader.
Ex-Deputy Mayor Anil Sharma was the councillor of this ward until 2013 Assembly polls. After he left the seat, the roads and garbage situation has become a nuisance for the common man. In Munirka too, the garbage has been mounting in sector 2, 3, and 4 in RK Puram as the sanitation conditions have gone for a toss.
“The sanitation condition in the same lanes of Munirka Village has been very bad and nothing has been done so far,” said a Congress leader. VP Singh, 78, a resident and former president of Munirka couldn’t stop ruing about the menace of unauthorised construction and parking constraints. “People are allowed to do illegal constructions in return for bribe. Munirka has become a den of corruption due to the nexus between MCD and the people illegally constructing buildings. Even schools constructed here are on illegal land,” Singh said.
For the residents of Kamruddin Nagar ward, open drains have become the biggest breeding points for mosquitoes, flies leading to bad odour. Work on sewer lines is lying dormant. Many complained that high numbers of dengue cases were also recorded from this ward. “last year when dengue was at its peak, a lot of cases were recorded from wards where there were no councilors. Not having councilors has its cons,” said an official in the SDMC.
For people of Matiala, things have not been easy ever since Rajesh Gehlot left the seat to fight Assembly polls in 2013 after 15 years. The area, dominated by Jats, has a mix of rural and urban population. In the last three years, the area is particularly lacking sanitation staff for unauthorised colonies for lifting garbage. Ex-councilor Rajesh Gahlot said, “I had installed water pipelines and electricity metres in sector-15 JJ colony in Dwarka during my tenure, but since then the connections have not been done. People are buying drinking water from outside or forced to drink hard water. There are no toilets near bus-stops and market which is another necessity.”
In Shalimar Bagh, Wazirpur and Ballimaran too, shortage of parking space and unrepaired sewer lines have magnified. According to residents, unauthorised areas are filled with dirty water due to non-silting of sewers. Smriti, 32, feels that the sanitation condition of these colonies needs to be improved on priority basis.
Vikas Nagar and Nawada wards are too struggling for better facilities. While Nawada ward is still awaiting setting up of 200-bed hospital at Mohan Garden which is currently lying dormant. The then Congress
G overnment had acquired the land but the school was never set up. Open sewers, dilapidated lanes and roads are a sight in most of the areas making it difficult for the residents.
Resident of Vikas Nagar complained of lack of footpaths and lights in dark areas. “There are no street lights, no footpaths and proper CCTVs for the protection of women. It is extremely difficult to live in such conditions. We hope that things might improve” said a resident, Aman.
