Manish Nagar residents seek court action against flooding

Residents of Manish Nagar in Nagpur are frustrated with ongoing flooding issues and have turned to the Bombay High Court for help. Ketan Palaskar and Markandey Tiwari, two local residents, filed separate public interest litigations, highlighting the chronic waterlogging in their area. The high court, during a recent hearing, instructed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the state's urban development department, and the district collector to respond. The residents' complaints focus on neighborhoods like Shilpa Society and New Lok Kalyan Housing Society, which suffer heavy flooding each monsoon season. They say the problem is due to a lack of proper stormwater drainage and outdated sewage systems. Despite numerous complaints to local officials, residents claim that no significant action has been taken to fix the flooding. Advocate Neerja Choubey, who is representing the petitioners, pointed out that the flooding crisis impacts a wider area beyond Manish Nagar, affecting thousands of people in Nagpur. The petitions brought alarming statistics to light, including the response of emergency teams during last year's monsoon. In July 2024, emergency services conducted 77 rescue operations, evacuating over a hundred people, some of whom included college students and a pregnant woman. Sadly, two elderly residents lost their lives in the floods. The petitioners argue that Nagpur, an important city in Maharashtra, should not struggle with floods every year. They are asking the court to require local authorities to create a comprehensive flood prevention plan, which would include upgrading drainage systems and removing obstructions in stormwater channels. Residents are hopeful that the court's involvement will push the city government to take urgent action.