The digging work initiated by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is expected to turn into a major problem for health department officials. While the health department has chalked out a detailed plan encompassing all wards, the incomplete work on the stormwater drainage can play spoilsport and lead to the spread of waterborne diseases.

The municipal councillors have also admitted that there was a lack of coordination between engineers of different wards, health department officials and municipal councillors. The problem is expected to aggravate during the monsoons in the eastern parts of the city, which has a large number of slum pockets, and the central and northern parts of the city where development works like rail overbridge are still underway.

Speaking to Newsline, Deputy Municipal Commissioner A O Sharma said, “Even though the monsoons have been delayed, we are ready with our plan. Emphasis would be laid on areas like Jetalpur where work on the rail overbridge is underway.”

The municipal councillors maintained that there was no coordination between engineers and the health officials who are supposed to take preventive measures. “It is the executive engineers who know where digging work has been carried out and which may see water logging during the monsoons. But the same is not conveyed to the health officials in the coordination meetings. This results in poor monitoring and preventive measures,” said a municipal councillor from the east zone.

Similarly in the west zone, where work on the stormwater drainage lines has been recently stopped, the councillor admitted that waterlogging would keep the health department ‘busy’. “The laying of stormwater drainage is almost over but there are some spots where waterlogging is expected to take place. We have communicated this to the ward officials and they have agreed to take care of the same,” said Jashoda Sonera councillor from Ward 14.