The illegal, five-storey store at Sadhana Complex has constricted the flow of sewage in the 25-ft nullah to a seven-foot trickle since several years and, residents point out, the filth and grime flows into their housing colonies at Malhar Nagar, Ekvira Nagar, Chikale Baug, Narayanwadi and Santoshi Mata Road every time the drain overflows. During the monsoon, sewage inevtiably floodsthe area and repeated appeals to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Council (KDMC) have been ignored.

While the rules stipulate that the departmental store required a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the KDMC's Town Planning Department to get the pole shifted, Subhash Patil, Town Planner (Kalyan division), told Express Newsline that the corporation has issued no such NOC. MSEB Superintendent Engineer, S Seetharamiah, argued: ``The relocation was undertaken at the cost of the shop-owner and since nobody has been affected, no NOC was sought.''

The owner of Sadhana Complex, Deepak Nagodia, refused to comment on the matter while Gala dodged every awkward query. ``This bogey against me is because I'm hugely successful and people are jealous,'' was all he was willing to say.

The Roop Sangam departmental store was built in 1972 by local matka king Nanubhai Nagodia. However, Gala has been managing the business for the Nagodias since several years. After he was served a demolition notice by the KDMC someyears ago, Gala moved the Bombay High Court claming he ``was being victimised when it was possible to divert the sewage via an alternative route.''

However, Town Planning officials say it is impossible to re-route the 25-foot nullah, which flows from Rambaug to Joshibaug, Azad Nagar, past New High School, Malhar Nagar and Jari Mari before flowing into the Kalyan creek.

The residents ire was clearly evident during the recent Ganapati festival, when the Jari Mari Ganesh Mandal designed its tableau. Drawing on the theme of the slaying of Kaliya by Lord Krishna, the tableau depicted the Jari Mari nullah flowing with a well-illuminated Roop Sangam in the corner. Krishna, who bore a striking resemblance to Municipal Commissioner G T Bandri, was depicted as trying to kill the seven-headed serpent of corruption while the running commentary said: ``Krishna is having a tough time killing this one. Even the lord wants to know how a 25-foot nullah suddenly turns only seven feet wide.'' The answer, ironically, is astone's throw away.