A deluge for a day is just enough to create small water bodies in several localities of the capital however what is baffling is the lack of any proper action plan than routine cleanliness and a long term solution to the perennial problem of water logging which is the primary reason behind several such seasonal ponds.
Heavy rain on any day inundates Ranchi’s Main Road-- somewhere knee deep while between some stretches drains flow like a river causing inconvenience to commuters and people living in the areas alongside the road. However, there is no long term solution for these problems and even people have got accustomed to living near an inundated area. Regular cleanliness in the absence of any permanent solution to the problem of water logging is the only strategy in the quiver of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC).
“We routinely clear water logging from areas. Even today we worked on this problem in Ashok Nagar,” said Assistant Executive Officer Ramkrishna Kumar. Rarely there has been any exercise on the part of RMC to find a lasting solution to problem of ponds created somewhere right in the middle of the road. But the apathy of the residents is equally responsible for the mess they live in during monsoon. “They clean regularly but excess garbage is generated in this area. The moment they clean it more is dumped here,” said a fruit vendor sitting in front of Daily Market police station.
Areas like Gosain Tola, Dhumsa Tola and Pragati Path in Chutia besides several locations in Madhukam face the problem of seasonal ponds that come up in the craters. localities in the vicinity of Seva Sadan, Indian Medical Association (IMA) building, Kishore Ganj and lalpur (near landmark Hotel) are notorious ponds due to knee deep water logging that subsides in longer time than usually takes to come up.
The simple solution to the most common problem in the season lies in the hands of municipal body but apparently there has been little brainstorming over solution to make the city free of seasonal water body. After the solid waste management firm A2Z was shown the door by the RMC the solid waste management has gone for a toss and blurred the distinction between a high profile locality and slum like areas. The RMC is yet to take a call on solid waste management plan for the city since the exit of A2Z.
“If people feel that there is a need for additional metallic bin in areas where excessive garbage is generated to get rid of water logging then we will do so,” said Kumar who is also Senior Public Relations Officer of RMC.