Panwadi kasba, Mahoba district. In Mahoba’s Panwadi block, the main kasba hasn’t been cleaned in over 3 months. As a result, the residents of the area are facing the threat of many diseases this monsoon season.
In Ward no. 1 which is also the Dalit basti, there are a total of 20 households. Residents Pappu, Munna and Akhilesh said that no government-appointed cleaner has come for a long time to the area. Filth and stagnating water have provided for a fertile ground for the breeding of mosquitoes. It has become almost impossible for people to sit outside their homes. The drains are overflowing onto the road and piles of garbage are rotting. Every day people have to cross all of this when they step out to go to work.
Suresh, a vegetable vendor from the area, said that the drain was made almost 15 years ago. In his memory, it has hardly been cleaned since then. He said that even as a businessman he has borne losses due to the state of affairs. Not only has he been susceptible to illnesses, he has to close his shop by 6 in the evening as it starts getting dark and the number of mosquitoes rises sharply.
Black Development Officer (B.D.O.) of Panwadi block, Aditya Prasad Pandey said that he has himself appointed 10 cleaners some 5 days. According to him, in a densely populated area like the Panwadi kasba, no matter how many cleaners are appointed, they would always too few.
PS: According to the rule, one cleaner (safai karmchaari) is appointed per revenue village in a district. The cleaner is supposed to clean all public places (streets, drains, schools and the Panchayat building) of the village.
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