“The ongoing sewerage renovation project in the city is a live example of absence of dialog with the residents and exemplifies how the participation from residents has been ignored“, says Anil Mehta, Principal of Vidya Bhawan Polytechnic College, Udaipur, in his discussion with a local daily on the ongoing renovations in the name of Smart City.  He added that dialog with the society is a necessity if a community project is to be completed successfully.

Technical staff is missing from the site of the project and the operations have been handed over completely to the whims and fancies of the contractor, who is absorbed in completing the task at hand, without understanding or giving cognizance to the technical nitty gritties.

As per reports appearing in local papers, it has been seen that there is plenty of digging work going on around the city, both on public roads as well as residential areas, causing immense problems for the commuters and residents.  Mehta added that in those places where new sewerage connections have been provided, only water outlets of the septic tanks have been tapped.  The solid part stays within the septic tank and is not addressed.  Both residents as well as the related officers are unaware of this fact, and even if they are aware, the administration is least concerned.

It has also come to notice that once the sewerage line is laid, it is again covered with earth, without testing for leakages.

People have begun to realise that the sewerage line repair and renovation drama ongoing in the city is a straight forward wastage of funds, the burden of which is being borne directly by the tax payers.