LCC urged to clear piles of debris along drains

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 12:56:35 +0000

BY CHIKUMBI KATEBE

THE Lusaka City Council should clear the silt removed from drainages and dumped on the sides before it falls back into the trenches, residents have urged.

Some Lusaka residents have observed that whenever LCC starts to clear drainages, the workers usually pile the debris along the drainages which falls back into the trenches, making all their efforts useless.

Charles Mbao of Emmasdale complained that while they have seen the council make efforts in clearing blocked drainages, they must complete the work by collecting all the debris to avoid it falling back into the drainages and blocking them in future.

“We will soon be in the rainy season and all those heaps of silt they have removed from drainages and have been piled along the roads will all fall back in and cause blockages all over again.

“The council should draw up a programme to ensure all their projects are completed in full instead of leaving the work half done,” he said.

He was commenting on heaps of dirt removed from drainages which have remained uncollected along major streets, including Lumumba road and City Market area. Another resident Christopher Muzyamba, a taxi driver from Matero’s Melisa supermarket, explained that in some compounds, even motor vehicles find it difficult to pass because the debris has been stashed at awkward locations, blocking off smooth passage of traffic.

Mr Muzyamba said there has been a lot of effort being put in clearing drainages but the same work is being erased as the silt falls back into the drains if not collected.

“The rains are coming soon, and so far we have huge piles of dry heaps of silt collected along the drainages, which will fall back in immediately with the first downpour.

“Council must do its work and complete it instead of leaving it there,” he said.

LCC embarked on a project to unblock and clear drainage systems to allow smooth passage of water but that the silt remained piled on the roadsides, countering their efforts.