Speaking to Express Newsline on Sunday, association president R K D Goel said that the smooth flow of water in the drain originating from the Polo Ground near Dandia Bazaar which drains into the Vishwamitri river at Jambua village is obstructed by the encroachments. This leads to floods during rains in the housing societies on either side of the drain from Dandia Bazar to Makarpura Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.

Goel said that though the Gujarat High Court had asked the Vadodara Municipal Corporation to provide alternative sites to Dholikui slum dwellers before evicting them from the encroachments along the drain, it was not implemented.

He said that sewage was being released into the storm water drain even now that gave out a foul smell in more than 90 societies located along the drain and posed health hazards to their residents. A plot of land reserved for a school behind the Don Bosco School had virtually turned into a sewage pond for more than a year because drain water flowed into it, he said.

The association, at a meeting on Sunday, also demanded construction of a pucca road from Sant Kabir Complex to Roopal Society behind Don Bosco School and connecting this road with Manjelpur Society for faster traffic movement from Manjelpur to Makarpura and vice-versa.

The poor condition of roads and streets in the GHB colony behind Akashvani in Tarsali GHB scheme and illegal construction of houses by GHB on the land earmarked for school and health centre in Tarsale GHB Housing Scheme came under sharp attack from the association leaders.