Nagpur: Frustrated over persistent sewer blockages and alleged civic inaction, corporators from Tajabad on Wednesday entered sewer chambers and removed sludge themselves.“More than 150 complaints related to choked sewer lines are pending on the civic body’s online grievance portal,” AIMIM group leader and local corporator Shakil Patel told TOI.He alleged that chambers in several pockets, particularly within the Bada Tajbagh premises, have not been desilted for nearly four years, leading to frequent overflows, clogged manholes and foul odour in residential areas.Patel claimed repeated representations to the civic administration failed to yield results, forcing elected representatives to take matters into their own hands.“We even informed municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar, but no one responded. Left with no alternative, corporators cleaned the chambers themselves,” he said.According to Patel, sewer maintenance in the area suffers from acute staff shortage. “The entire section has around 30 sanitary workers, but none is assigned exclusively for dechoking operations. Each stretch requires 8-10 workers for regular maintenance. Despite repeated requests, the administration has failed to address the issue,” he alleged.Videos of corporators cleaning the chambers soon went viral, raising concerns over safety norms. Entering sewer chambers without protective gear or mechanised equipment poses serious health risks and is prohibited under laws banning hazardous manual scavenging.Deputy municipal commissioner (SWM) Rajesh Bhagat said corporators should not have entered the chambers under any circumstances. “No person is permitted to enter a sewer chamber. We do not allow our own employees to do so. It is unsafe,” he said.Bhagat maintained that civic teams and machinery had already been deployed in the area and additional resources would be provided if more vehicles became available.He also denied allegations of official apathy, stating that every zone has been equipped with jetting and suction machines. However, the zone covering Tajabad has only one such vehicle, and major choke points are being prioritised during the monsoon. He added that a surge in complaints over the past few days contributed to the backlog.Bhagat acknowledged that parts of the underground drainage network are in poor condition, with some chambers inaccessible due to encroachments and structures built over them. The damaged sewer lines are proposed to be replaced under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, he said.
