Dared to protest? Forget drinking water

Condition of a road at Basavanagar.

Dared to protest? Forget drinking water
New Indian Express

Residents of Ward number 21 are having no drinking water, streetlights and door-to-door garbage clearance. Reason? They staged a protest to get their roads repaired.

The two km long Basavanagar Main Road is in pathetic condition, making life hazardous for motorists and pedestrians during the rainy season. The City Municipal Corporation (CMC) has not even looked into a single complaint. More than 200 petitions have been submitted to the government so far. Sampath Kumar, a resident of Basava Nagar, is the key person who has been running from pillar to post for the last five years. ‘‘We have met every government official concerned, but in vain. It is very difficult to transport heart patients and pregnant ladies to hospitals,’’ he said.

Suresh Kumar, another resident, blamed the BCC for creating confusion among residents. He said that the corporator of the ward, B. Manjunath, for the inaction. Vijay Devaraj, a resident of Vignana Nagar, said the road that connects to Old Madras Road if maintained well, could be utilised as an artery. Vivekanada Babu of Ramesh Nagar said due to leaking drain water, the fear of disease outbreak was high. ‘‘Because we had protested, the garbage from our area has not been cleared,’’ Babu added.

K. Subramanya of Basava Nagar said that residents were demanding only basic facilities, as they were regular taxpayers. ‘‘Authorities come and go. Garbage clearance and road work gets done only when we come out to protest.’’ Nagaratnamma of Ramesh Nagar said that it was impossible to walk on the roads in rainy season. Children cannot go to schools.

An Army officer said that the residents have given memoranda to Chief Ministers at four Janata Darshans. ‘‘We will block Airport Road if the demands are not met before October 13,’’ he said. Michael said that residents have now decided to build the road with their own money. ‘‘We have already spent more than Rs. 10,000,’’ he added.