Severe Waterlogging Issue Echoes in the Legislative Assembly; MLA Rohit Pandey Raises the Matter of 'Hathiya Nala', Demands Answers from the Government on the 'Storm Water Drainage Scheme'
Bhagalpur, Chief Correspondent: During the monsoon session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, the issue of urban development in Bhagalpur and one of its most critical problems—waterlogging—echoed strongly on the floor of the house. Raising this serious topic in accordance with rules and public interest, Bhagalpur's popular MLA Rohit Pandey drew the government's attention to the crisis. The legislator informed the house how, every year during the rainy season, even after moderate rainfall, the entire city of Bhagalpur gets submerged, throwing daily life completely out of gear. Specifically, he prominently highlighted the narrow and encroached state of the historical 'Hathiya Nala' (Hathiya Drain), which prevents the city's rainwater from draining out properly.
What Is the Core Issue? The Narrowness of Hathiya Nala and the Waterlogging Crisis
The role of 'Hathiya Nala' in Bhagalpur's geographical layout and natural drainage system is akin to a backbone. However, due to a lack of timely cleaning over decades, illegal encroachments along its banks, and the drain becoming extremely narrow at numerous points, rainwater is unable to flow forward.
While presenting his case in the Legislative Assembly, MLA Rohit Pandey detailed that:
Obstruction in Natural Flow: Hathiya Nala, which once collected rainwater from various parts of the city and carried it forward to the Ganges River or other outfalls, is today weeping over its own wretched state. Due to residential and commercial constructions at various spots, the scope of the drain has shrunk to resemble a small gutter.
Hellish Conditions During Rains: During heavy downpours in the monsoon season, Hathiya Nala overflows, spilling its water onto streets, markets, and residential colonies (such as Aliganj, Adampur, Kutchery Chowk, and surrounding areas). Water entering homes causes massive losses to residents.
Threat of Diseases: Due to waterlogging, dirty water stagnates for months, increasing the breeding of mosquitoes and looming over city residents with the threat of severe infectious diseases like dengue and malaria.
Bhagalpur's Hopes Pinned on the Storm Water Drainage Scheme
During the discussion on this serious issue in the house, the government provided information that the ambitious 'Storm Water Drainage Scheme' is underway to liberate Bhagalpur city from this perennial waterlogging problem. Under this scheme, provisions have been made to construct modern and large underground drains in the city for water discharge, ensuring rainwater can exit the city without any obstruction.
MLA Rohit Pandey demanded that the government clarify the current status of the implementation of the first phase of this scheme and its progress report. He emphasized that the people of Bhagalpur have long been waiting for this scheme to materialize on the ground, and therefore, work should be executed on a war footing rather than remaining confined to paper announcements.
Questions Raised on Government and Administrative Accountability
Following the raising of this issue in the Legislative Assembly, question marks have once again been cast over the working style of the local administration and municipal corporation. Representatives from both the opposition and ruling parties believe that until Hathiya Nala is widened, deepened, and freed from encroachment, no drainage scheme in the world can be completely successful.
Local citizens state that every year ahead of the monsoon, lakhs and crores of rupees are spent in the name of cleaning drains, but no concrete results are visible on the ground. The very first spell of rain exposes those claims made by the administration.
Hopes Revived Through the MLA's Efforts, Citizens Await Prompt Solutions
After MLA Rohit Pandey raised this burning issue in the Legislative Assembly, hope has been rekindled among the general citizens of Bhagalpur that the administrative machinery will likely spring into action to resolve this problem. People expect that work on the storm water drainage scheme will soon gain momentum and a concrete policy will be formulated for the revival of Hathiya Nala.
The problem of waterlogging in Bhagalpur is no longer just an inconvenience, but has become a major roadblock in the city's development. The robust presentation of the cases regarding Hathiya Nala and the storm water drainage scheme by MLA Rohit Pandey in the Legislative Assembly proves that public interest issues can no longer remain unheard. It remains to be seen how swiftly and effectively the governance and administration act on this matter, so that the people of Bhagalpur can find permanent liberation from the hell of waterlogging in coming years.
