Pics: Spoorthi Ullal / Johnas Sequeira
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Jun 15: The parking lot of KMC Hospital, Attavar had been waterlogged for the past three-four days due to heavy rains and a blocked drainage. Repeated requests to MCC officials and local corporators had reportedly evoked no response.

On Monday June 15, taking matters into her own hand, mayor Jacintha Alfred visited the spot and got the stagnant water cleared while personally supervising the work.

Rain water that flows from Nandigudda had entered the hospital parking lot. It is learnt that when the road next to the hospital was tarred, the drain under it got blocked and the water could not flow in. Due to heavy rains that lashed the city on Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14, the situation became worse.

The hospital authorities said that they had informed the MCC officials and local corporators - Shailaja of ward 55 and Diwakar of ward 46 - but both said that the area does not come under them as it is between the two wards.

When the hospital contacted mayor Jacintha, she in turn informed the MCC engineer, but no action was taken. Hence, on Monday, the mayor herself visited the spot, called the officials concerned to the spot and personally supervised the work. The spot next to the road was dug and a channel created to drain the water.

Speaking to reporters, KMC hospital operations head Raviraj said, "From past four or five days we are facing this problem. We had informed the corporation officials an the local corporators but they did not take any action. Today the mayor arrived and got the work done."

Mayor Jacintha said, "When the road opposite the hospital was concreted, it went above ground level, because of which water flowed into the hospital's parking lot, and the drain also got blocked. Now we have opened the drain and a new drain will be constructed soon. The road will be closed during the construction. The new drain has already been sanctioned but due to some technical problems, it got delayed, but it will be done soon. It is a small problem."