The 'trauma' of development

Barring a few major cities, India still continues to make do with open sewers. As a major sanitation issue that contributes to the spread of disease and environmental degradation, open sewers in India are a stinking reality that defies a logical situation.

The fact that India’s urban centres are choking on sewage and waste are corroborated by new reports of the high levels of untreated sewage and industrial waste diverted into rivers in many parts of the country.

If the holy town in Kedarnath before the deluge that devastated it in 2013 had open gutter sewer lines spewing its obnoxious waste into the confluence of rivers passing by, the Yamuna River in Delhi continues to resemble nothing but an open sewer that speaks for the callousness of the administration.

Of what use are various conservation movements aimed at keeping our rivers flowing clean when the concept of civic cleanliness is just not in the nature of the people! Efforts are on in the country to build a really efficient sewage system.

However, the news that Goa is lagging behind in urban sanitation due to extremely poor sewerage and network and related systems does carry a ring of truth about it considering the snail’s pace at which these projects have been moving.

The aim to achieve total sanitation and clean environment in urban as well as rural areas will remain a distant dream unless appropriate measures are taken to address many of the practical problems encountered.

The lack of identifying a suitable place for a sewage pumping station in our locality has been persisting for the past few years without any solution in sight. So we have been deprived of the facilities.

It is also observed that an ‘incompatible’ relation between various agencies executing the works has further complicated matters.  Even where completed, the poor road conditions caused by sewage pipeline work have put the public to undue hardship.

Most sewage systems in the United States are underground, typically installed 10-25 feet under the ground.  No wonder, underground sewage systems have featured prominently in Hollywood films. The prominence has been highlighted further by efforts by cinema aficionados to create a list of the most iconic sewer scenes in movies.

In a testament to Hollywood’s resourcefulness, sewage treatment plants have become most-sought after sites for shooting films ensuring that movies with some great sewer scenes will forever remain etched in people’s memories.

Likewise, underground cable systems are revolutionizing the way electricity and data is transmitted. In this digital age where connectivity is the key, underground wiring offers a host of advantages over traditional overhead lines.

An industrial blog explains that one of the key benefits is enhanced reliability. Unlike overhead lines which are vulnerable to weather conditions and tree damage, underground cables are protected from external factors, resulting in fewer power outages and interruptions.

Besides reduced maintenance costs and the improved aesthetics they provide, underground cabling eliminates the need for unsightly poles and wires which in their ugliest forms dot the urban skylines these days.

However, is the manner in which the entire region is being dug up to ‘conceal’ cables and pipelines under the surface not only for the ‘look good’ effect but also with an eye on securing long term benefits of better maintenance and other considerations conducive for a small state like Goa!  

But having said that, amidst the deluge of works that proposes to elevate the tiny coastal state of Goa as an epitome of development, the whole region wears the look of a perennially excavated site all-round the year.

One can vividly remember Delhi when it was getting ready for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Over a period of ten months I visited the Capital thrice during that ‘preparatory’ period.  All around the city, it was a story of dust and debris. What was more bothersome was the execution of works which seemed to lack a definite plan.

All the works were being carried out in a haphazard manner. There apparently was no coordination between various agencies entrusted with the job. The planning inefficiencies were so glaring.  

The construction delays were taking the toll on the local residents. Besides, the Delhi Metro was extended to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transport during the event which entailed fast-paced work on it in preparation for the Games.

In this melee of demolitions and constructions that was not only causing hardships to residents but also increased pollution concerns, it was naturally ‘haste’ that typically characterized all the works thereafter.

Besides the controversies that it served to raise, it was the serious concerns about the conditions of the infrastructure put up in haste which further caused embarrassment for the government.

Despite Delhi delivering a ‘fantastic Games’, the 2010 Commonwealth Games was a sordid ordeal for the residents. However, it is claimed that the logistical and infrastructural development in the capital for the event has eventually changed the face of Delhi.

But this prompts a general question. Does development of a region have to come at the cost of hardships for local residents?

Yes, it apparently does, if one is to look around the expansive works carried out in the last few years in Goa. Apparently, the ease and comforts of travelling has been redefined and commuting has become an enjoyable experience now.

Moreover, the incessant works being carried out on Goa’s thoroughfares lends weight to the belief that good road connectivity is a step in the right direction towards helping the country’s economic growth.

Yet, the non-stop digging and the dusty appearance the state wears all around the year on account of these ‘developmental’ works has definitely become a cause of concern for residents who have never shunned development per se but have only decried the approach adopted by the state to ‘achieve’ the status.