Junnasandra residents forced to wade through sewage, rain water

The 400-odd residents of Junnasandra and Green Villae Layout dread the monsoon every year, as the rains flooding, and overflow of sewage that stagnate on the roads. The heavy downpour over the last fe

The 400-odd residents of Junnasandra and Green Villae Layout dread the monsoon every year, as the rains flooding, and overflow of sewage that stagnate on the roads. The heavy downpour over the last few days has compounded their problems as the area lacks good roads, drain network and street lights, they said.

Residents have been struggling for the past five years and submitted memorandums urging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to provide basic amenities. “All our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. There are stray pigs roaming the roads that are slushy. Due to the incomplete drain network, there is no outlet for rainwater and sewage. Both stagnate in the area, making it difficult for us to even step out of our homes,” said Punithan Vivekanandam, a resident of Green Villae Layout.

Amaresh H.V. from the neighbouring Halanayakanahalli alleged that the problem has been compounding since 2014, when a private layout was developed over the rajakaluve. “The rajakaluve connected three lakes, including Halanayakanahalli Kere, Junnasandra lake. But with the layout now encroaching the drain, there is no place for the water to go. While half of the encroachment comes under BBMP limits, the other half comes under Halanayakanahalli gram panchayat limits,” he said and added that several complaints had been filed with the jurisdictional tahsildar and even the Lokayukta.