Manakpur Villagers Allege Garbage-Heaped Roads, Waterlogging Amid Civic Neglect

Rajat Malhotra

A picture of poor development and civic neglect has emerged from Manakpur village in the Baniyakhera block, where roads are reportedly filled with dirty water and residents are struggling with garbage and waterlogging.

In Chandausi, the Centre government’s ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission appears to have completely failed in Gram Panchayat Manakpur. Garbage heaps can be seen at several places in the village lanes. The drains are clogged, and foul smells have spread across the area. Despite the situation, residents say the responsible officials have not paid attention to the problem.

According to the villagers, regular cleaning is not carried out in Manakpur. They said the sanitation worker does not visit the village for several days at a time. As a result, dirty water from the blocked drains flows into and collects in the lanes.

The absence of regular garbage collection has also led to waste piling up along the village’s main roads and at its intersections. The garbage and stagnant water have made it difficult for residents to move through the area.

Villagers said the spread of filth has increased the mosquito problem. They said the garbage and waterlogging have created a risk of diseases such as dengue, malaria and viral fever. Children are also facing difficulty in going to school because they have to pass through mud and dirty water.

Residents said they have complained several times to the Gram Pradhan and the Secretary about the lack of cleanliness. However, they alleged that they are given assurances each time and the matter is then put off. They further claimed that cleaning is shown every month in official records, while the situation on the ground remains unchanged.

The villagers have appealed to the District Magistrate of Sambhal and the Block Development Officer of Baniyakhera to order an investigation into the sanitation arrangements in Manakpur. They have also demanded that a sanitation worker be assigned to the village regularly so that residents can be freed from the garbage and that proper arrangements be made for drain cleaning and garbage collection.

One villager said, “मानकपुर में महीनों से सफाई नहीं हुई है। नालियां जाम पड़ी हैं, पानी गलियों में बह रहा है। प्रधान जी से कहो तो कहते हैं हो जाएगा, लेकिन होता कुछ नहीं। स्वच्छ भारत का नारा यहां फेल है।”