Days after alleged blockage of rajakaluve, D’Silva Layout residents wake up to stench of sewage

NT Bengaluru: Residents of D’Silva Layout in Whitefield, who were already suffering due to alleged drain blockages, woke up to a strong stench of sewage seeping onto the roads outside their houses on Thursday, sparking outrage as officials and builders had allegedly blocked the drains for construction activity. Situated adjacent to Pattandur Agrahara Lake, the layout has a Storm Water Drain (SWD) running towards it from Ambedkar Nagar, which is at a marginally higher altitude than D'Souza Layout. Residents allege that builders of a school have been dumping debris in the drain.

“We saw a JCB come in the night a few nights ago to dump sewage in the drain and the empty land adjacent to it. This may pose a health hazard to the surrounding area,'' said Sailesh Nair, a resident of D’Silva Layout. On Thursday morning, the situation worsened with residents unable to step out of their homes. “We were unable to bear the stench of sewage,” said a resident from MIMS Springdale Apartment, on the condition of anonymity. The resident further alleged that the sewage comes from the PGs and Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) in Ambedkar Nagar.

“From what I heard, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) connected the main sewage line to the drain which is blocked at present,” the resident further alleged. When informed, zonal officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) hired JCBs to remove the debris. However, they found concrete in it and had to stop the work for the day. With regard to sewage being let into the drain, BWSSB officials took cognizance of this and said notices are being issued to the PGs with illegal connections with the Storm Water Drain.