Residents Forced to Live Amidst Annual Floods and Failing Infrastructure
Bhagalpur: Located on the western edge of the city, the 'Chowki Niamatpur Bengali Tola' neighborhood, situated in Ward Number One of the Municipal Corporation, is currently suffering from severe neglect. For the residents here, the monsoon brings a crisis every year that not only submerges their homes but completely disrupts their daily lives. Due to the lack of basic amenities, this area has become like an island where the light of development has yet to reach.
The Same Old Scene Every Year: The Sting of Floods
For the residents of this neighborhood, flooding is not an accidental disaster, but a destiny. Every year during the rainy season, people are forced to leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere. The situation becomes so dire that water accumulates up to four to five feet on the roads, bringing all movement to a complete standstill. Residents explain that for nearly a month, they have to rely on boats or seek higher ground just to leave their homes. Everything from children's education to healthcare services is severely impacted by these floods.
Acute Lack of Basic Amenities
Beyond the floods, the condition of the neighborhood is pathetic. The problems here are multifaceted:
Dilapidated Roads: Roads were dug up in the name of laying pipes, but they were never repaired afterward. As a result, the roads have now turned into deep pits and craters.
Drinking Water Crisis: Pipes were laid by 'BUDCO,' but water supply has not started to this day. It is an irony that residents are forced to carry drinking water from long distances or buy it from the market.
Poor Drainage: There is either no drainage system in the neighborhood, or where it exists, it lacks covers. Due to the lack of drainage, stagnant, filthy water remains on the roads, posing a constant risk of an epidemic.
Darkness in the Neighborhood: Most electric poles lack streetlights. Due to the darkness at night, it has become unsafe for women and children to step outside their homes.
Major Demands to the Government and Administration
Local residents ask how much more suffering they are expected to endure. They have demanded a concrete and permanent solution from the government. Their primary demands include the construction of an embankment on the Jamuniya River to prevent floodwaters from directly entering the neighborhood. Additionally, there is a strong demand to increase the elevation of the roads by four to five feet during reconstruction.
Residents state that in the absence of a community hall, even relief camps cannot be arranged during floods. They have warned local representatives and the Municipal Corporation administration that if these basic problems are not resolved soon, they will be forced to launch a massive protest.
