​Gaping manholes show no lessons learnt

GURGAON: Three uncovered manholes in Sector 45 clearly show that the civic agencies have not learnt their lesson even after the tragic incident of four-year-old Mahi falling into an abandoned borewell. These uncovered manholes are on the road leading to Kanhai Village from Greenwood City, in Sector 45.
M M Lal, vice-president, Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) of Sector 45 said, "The HUDA contractor dug two manholes at the site for sewerage purposes.Instead of putting new covers on the manholes, covers from the existing manholes nearby were lifted and put on them. For more than two months the site has been in this condition."
The residents are not even satisfied with the sewer work done by the authorities here.
The schools reopened on Monday and children have started using this road frequently. Mother of two, Sonali Dholakia, said, "Little ones often run around carelessly and chase each other. We are in constant fear that any of them might fall into a manhole."
The RWA has complained and requested HUDA to cover the manholes and clear the debris which has solidified over the months. They sent the pictures of the uncovered manholes to HUDA administrator Praveen Kumar on Sunday morning for immediate action in order to avoid any accident.
In response to that, Kumar on Tuesday evening said, "I wasn't aware of these uncovered manholes until this minute. I'll have them covered tomorrow."
A pit dug for rain water harvesting is lying uncovered since two months. It is not filled with sand or gravel for filtering purposes, nor is there a word of caution around it. The situation requires immediate attention as with the arrival of monsoon, such uncovered sewer lines will not only lead to overflowing of sewage in residential area, but also be death traps for children.
Mahi Upadhyay fell into the borewell at Kasan village near Manesar, while playing with her friends on June 20. She had died within hours of falling into the drain. Her body was taken out of the 68-foot-deep borewell after rescue operation lasting 85 hours.