MONSOON BRINGS RELIEF AND CHALLENGES TOO

Monsoon is definitely a welcome time, a delightful season providing much-needed respite from the scorching summer sun. However, the rainy season also brings with it a host of infections and health woes, ranging from an increased incidence of cough, cold and flu due to drastic temperature changes to viral fever and mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, etc. These dreaded diseases are solely the result of poor sanitation, collection of garbage, stagnant pools of water after rains, and overall unhygienic and unhealthy environments. Officially, there is much importance and significance given to keeping the surroundings clean to prevent breeding of these disease carrying insects and flies. Says a resident Bina Kashyap, “A lot of these are waterborne diseases caused by bad sanitation and unhygienic surroundings. The problem of overflowing sewers and drains has been plaguing the residents of Dwarka for the past several years”. Almost several times a year, we have carried stories of drain water flowing back on roads and even in societies and market places and causing unbearable stench, spreading filth and causing great inconvenience to residents. One reason for this is the choked drains which, though promised by the authorities, are not cleaned before the arrival of the monsoon every year. As a result of this, the drains are choked and the water both rainwater as well as sewer water, it does not flow to the outlets and floods the streets. Also with the monsoons, there has been a burst of greenery everywhere. Says Vinay Thakur, “Trees near or next to the traffic lights and traffic junctions have grown and covered the traffic lights. Motorists are not able to see these lights and driving becomes a dangerous proposition as one does not know if it is a red or a green light and if they have to stop or go. These tree branches should be pruned and if required the trees should be cut.”