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Uncovered drain drives Sion locals to the edge

A huge uncovered storm water drain between the Chunabhatti railway bridge and Prateeksha Nagar has residents of the area up in arms.

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A huge uncovered storm water drain between the Chunabhatti railway bridge and Prateeksha Nagar has residents of the area up in arms. Mosquitoes breed with impunity in the black waters of the drain choked with garbage, sending locals running for cover.

In fact, come evening, and residents of Panchsheel Nagar, a 4,000-odd strong slum through which the drain passes, find it impossible to step out of their homes. “We spend a lot on mosquito repellants daily. Sometimes it gets so bad that nothing helps and we simply cover ourselves and stay indoors,” says Laxmi Gadile, 47, a slum resident. No wonder, most residents, like 55-year-old Vasudev Bhalekar, end up complaining of fever and bodyache at least twice a month. Bhalekar, who has been living in the slum since 1993, says, “Visiting doctors for medicines has become a habit. How much money can we spend on mosquito repellants?”

Not just the residents, but even the nearby hospital they go to for medical help is struggling against the malaria vector. In fact, the drain’s proximity to a well-known private hospital has began taking a toll of the facility’s patient inflow. A hospital doctor said, “Most patients are unable to stay in the hospital for more than a couple of days. We can fumigate our premises, but we can’t do anything about the drain.”

When DNA contacted assistant commissioner Sanjay Kurhade of F-north ward, he said, “We fog the area on a regular basis, apart from spraying larvicide in water bodies.” But, Bhalekar says officials responsible for fogging the area don’t enter the slum.

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