Waterlogged areas posing health threat

Lucknow: Four days after the torrential rains lashed the city, many parts still remain waterlogged. The affected areas like Fazullaganj, Para, Balaganj are staring at the outbreak of diseases like dengue, malaria, viral fever, diarrhoea and even typhoid due to contaminated water supply.

In Fazullaganj, most of the vacant plots are waterlogged and filled with slits.

In low lying areas of Balaganj, accumulated water is turning into a breeding spot for mosquitoes.

Residents are demanding that the authorities take immediate action to drain out the water and prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Reena Varma, a resident of Fazullaganj, said, "Groundwater is the only source of drinking water and it gets contaminated in the rainy season because of dirty water stored in vacant plots."

"Dirty drains and pits in the area can lead to the outbreak of vector and water-borne diseases," said Danish Mehfooz, a resident of Fazullaganj.

"The unorganised plotting and roads without drains by real estate developers is causing waterlogging in the area," said Vipin Kumar, a private contractor from Para.

Shaukat Gazi, a resident of cattle colony, Balaganj, said, "The rain last week has caused the whole locality to be waterlogged and water flooded till our entrance of the house so we left our house and shifted to another location."

LMC chief engineer Mahesh Chandra Verma said, "We have removed water from almost all areas. Now only water accumulation is in low lying areas and vacant plots. We will drain out this soon."