Mangalore, 17 May 2013 : The newly-elected MLA J R Lobo on Friday May 17 accompanied by municipal chief engineer and local corporator Abdul Latif visited Old Port ward, a significant commercial hub in the city since several centuries that sans proper underground drainage which has been the major grievances of traders, entrepreneurs and local residents.
The ward has concentration of businesses and the overflowing of drainage is indeed a health concern of the residents for over a decade. The narrow roads also pose difficulty in extending the drainage works. The flash floods and stench during monsoon threatens epidemic.
The local corporator Abdul Latif took MLA J R Lobo along with the municipal chief engineer to nearby Bamboo Bazaar, here where the drainage water overflows on the road, owing to a bund erected by a few private property owners thereby blocking the free flow that joins Arabian Sear near Old Port. The next point was Goods Shed Road and Hoige Bazaar Road, where a contractor M/s Yojaka Projects laid a bund made out of sand bags across a culvert to gain access to their project site, which has threatened of flash floods should the monsoon rains arrive from anytime now. The chief cause of affluent flowing on the road and nearby is due to illegally laying bunds to serve them easy access, while leaving the trading community, locals and pedestrian in the lurch.
MLA Lobo spoke to Port authorities and officials of Yojaka and set an appointment to hold a meeting at Port office on Wednesday May 22 at 10.00am, to resolve the issue ahead of monsoon.
MLA Lobo inaugurated Vishnu Vittoba Bhajan Mandir at the same locality at the occasion.