New Mico Layout residents face flood of woes

New Mico Layout residents face flood of woes

Frequent waterlogging and muddy roads make it a breeding ground for diseases

Although sanitation of the area figured in election
manifestoes, no help came from any party after polls

Huidina N. Bangalore



The marks of last week's downpour were still evident in New Mico Layout. Incessant rain left the low-lying New Mico Layout flooded. Unless the days ahead are sunny, its residents will have a tough time as the area will remain submerged.
The rains affected normal life of the people in the locality. Basha Bhai, a resident of the area, has been left homeless since the downpour on August 14. Even as the city is taking precautionary measures to avert the spread of H1N1 flu, residents like Bhai, who do
not have a shelter, are quite unaware of the disease.
"I have been living here for the past one decade. Every year this time, the locality gets waterlogged. I had posed for many news photographers hoping things would turn better. But all my hopes have faded," said Bhai, standing in the water for a photo session.
An immigrant from Tamil Nadu, he came to Bangalore in search of a livelihood 25 years ago. There are many Bashas living in this area with similar stories to tell.
"The drain water reached my door step. I'm horrified at the sight. The drainage, which passes through my compound, overflows when it rains. It has led to the outbreak of many water-borne diseases like malaria, and cholera," one of the residents said.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the government's attitude, Parsavaim, president of New Mico Layout, said several reports and petitions had been sent to the authorities.
"We even organised a protest in front of the Bommanahalli corporate office to highlight our needs. But the officials never bothered to help us in any way. During the Lok Sabha elections in May, manifestoes of parties listed improvement of sanitation in our area as one of their priorities. But after the elections, no one turned this side," he said.
Due to the muddy roads and frequent waterlogging, the place has become a breeding ground for diseases. If H1N1 spreads to this area, the consequences will be deadly. "New Mico Layout is a low-lying area. But there are ways to prevent waterlogging by building proper drains. This is
a slow process," said Santhosh Kumar, a
resident.
"Sanitation is important for our health. But this basic requirement has been ignored by civic officials," Arunima Rao, one of the residents, said.