Patna: Water Logging Affected Residents Angry Over Inaction of BJP MLAs, MPs

Patna: The increasingly deteriorating water logging problem in Patna has left the residents of the city fuming over the inaction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and MPs, who have been representing them for years. Despite making repeated claims of vikash (development), the failure of the ruling BJP government to address the issue of drainage has resulted in the people reeling under water logging after every rainfall.

Expressing his anger with government, KK Ojha, a resident of Kankarbafh one of the worst waterlogged residential localities in Patna, said, “BJP leaders have been mostly winning as MP or MLA from Patna in the past two decades but there is no drainage system. Heavy rains for 60 hours has resulted in widespread water logging. All money has been looted in the name of constructing big drainage network by BJP leaders, who are in a nexus with corrupt officers and contractors.”

Saryu Prasad Singh, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, water logged locality, said, “None of the BJP leaders have visited us or come to help us. We had voted BJP to power in the centre and in the state but look at our pathetic condition. We have spent two nights without electricity, there was no food and even water. All this thanks to the lack of setting up a system for draining water after heavy rains.”

Bipin Kumar, a trader near Gandhi maidan, said that only new drains were constructed after spending crores without ensuring whether the water could drain out or not after heavy rains. He added, “Most of the small and big drains were either choked due to deposit of polythene and plastics or clogged with silt deposit. But no one took out the time to clear them ahead of monsoon.”

Also read: Floods in Bihar: A Fiasco Built by Years of Central and State Inaction?

“Where are Bihar BJP’s Union Ministers? Where are ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Giriraj Singh who proclaimed their Bihari identity so loudly? There are half a dozen of them, including two BJP MPs from Patna. Are they not aware of the pathetic and disgusting situation in Patna and across the state. They have time to issues statements on cow, gobar, deshbhakti (patriotism), NRC, Article 370 to population control. But, they have no time to say anything about the unbearable pains and suffering of the people who have been living under water even in Patna, let alone the millions of flood affected in other districts,” Lakhender Choudhary, a government employee said.

Somesh Anand, a young businessman said BJP leaders are mussing during the time of ongoing crisis. He said, "Voters in Patna have been supporting BJP as five MLAs of the party had won last time, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls two seats in Patna was won by BJP. Even the Mayor of Patna, Sita Sahu is from BJP. But Patna is a dirty city, congested and with no drainage system in place.”

A well known water and floods expert, Dinesh Mishra said that the alarming water logging in Patna is a result of unscientific planning and lack of accountability.

Ranjeev, a water activist, said, “After heavy rains, the rain water should have flowed to the drains. However, that is not happening and reports suggest that nearly half of the sump houses are closed and not working. Even functional sump houses were not working with full capacity but half. This is the situation in Patna, a city which is located in the banks of river Ganga.”

According to officials in Urban Development Department, initially, most of the sump houses were not working following the waterlogging after heavy rains. But they said that in the last two days, sump houses have been repaired and it has been directed to keep them working non-stop to pump out water.”

However, senior BJP leader and Bihar Urban Development Minister Suresh Sharma admitted that the incomplete drain work and digging for ongoing development work has created more problems for the people.

A former officer of Patna Municipal Corporation said that there was no shortage of funds for developing integrated network of drains in Patna but all money was used without enhancing the capacity of existing drains.

Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav attacking the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar, said, "After (mis)rule of 14 years can a CM, worth any shame, blame weather for complete absence of drainage system?"

Tejashwi Yadav has further said, "Patna mayor, all 5 MLAs & 5 MPs ( 2LS, 3RS) of/from Patna city for last 15 years are from BJP. In Bihar, it’s Nitish’s led NDA government since last 15 years. Now, Nitish Kumar, and senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi must blame Mughals, Nehru, Lalu, Weather, Nature & Nakshtra for water logging and their (mis)rule of 15 years.”

Yadav also demanded that the Bihar CM must issue a white paper detailing every expenditure made in last 15 years in the name of urban development, sewerage system, drainage infrastructure and disaster management.

"As always he is blaming weather, nature, Nakshatra and the Opposition for his 15 years’ failure. Nitish ji must explain about each expenditure—what has seen the light of reality, what has stayed only on paper, which of them have remained as figment of imagination of the corrupt and influential, and which drainage expenditures have flowed down the drain to Ganga, CM’s house or somewhere else," he said.

Also read: Bihar: Heavy Rainfall Throws Life Out of Gear, 2 Dead