JAIPUR: The Rajasthan high court has taken suo motu cognizance of a report published by the city edition of The Times of India on September 23 about choked sewer lines neglected by both the municipal corporations.
Notices have been issued to chief secretary, principal secretary of the local self-government department, and CEOs of Jaipur municipal corporations, greater and heritage. The officials have been asked to reply within four weeks.
The report titled, ‘City’s overflowing gutters, choked sewer lines give locals ‘stinky’ time’, revealed problems faced by residents because of poor maintenance by local bodies.
The order issued by the registrar (judicial) states that the chief justice has taken suo motu cognizance of the news and verbally directed to register a PIL.
According to officials of municipal bodies, this situation will not change unless decades-old sewer lines are replaced in tune with population growth. But the huge investment required for such an overhaul is not possible for the already cash-strapped corporations.
‘Working of municipal corporations in shambles’
Advocate Prateek Kasliwal of the high court, who has been made amicus curiae in this case, said that this was the need of the hour. “The working of municipal corporations is in shambles. In the time of pandemic, when people are worried about their health, such reports show the true picture of the city's civic condition.
The government needs to focus on this. It doesn’t matter if the cost of changing these sewer lines is high, it has to be done because the population is increasing every year.”
When TOI contacted Ramprasad Sharma, councillor of Ward 125 who had complained about the sewer lines, he said they were still choked.
“The lines are still choked and stinking. I have contacted all the officials but nobody has had the time to look at this issue. I am answerable to the public. These sewer lines are around 50 years old and were put in place when the housing board was created. This is a serious issue which should be taken on priority,” Sharma said.
