Top News

Varanasi, Sep 12 (PTI): The Varanasi Municipal Corporation has sought registration of an FIR against unidentified persons after sacks filled with sand, along with wood shavings, stones, plywood and plastic material, were found stuffed inside main sewer lines during cleaning operations in several wards, officials said on Saturday.

As per a press statement, around 12 sacks of sand were recovered from a sewer line in the Shivala area on Friday night, officials said, adding that the blockage had caused sewage to overflow into adjoining lanes and led to waterlogging.

Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari and Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal inspected the site near Agrawal Radio in Shivala ward along with councillors and officials on Saturday.

Tiwari alleged that the deliberate blockage appeared to be part of a conspiracy aimed at tarnishing the city's image.

The civic body has handed over a written complaint to police seeking an FIR against unidentified persons. The complaint submitted by the Jal Kal department's executive engineer (Zone-2) at Bhelupur police station said the sacks were found while cleaning the main sewer line near Ratnakar Park to address waterlogging.

The civic body is also examining CCTV footage to identify those responsible and has appealed to residents to report any tampering with sewer lines or government infrastructure.

Officials also said misleading photographs and videos of waterlogging had been circulated on social media over the past 10 days, while several waterlogging points had already been cleared and water was being continuously pumped out from low-lying areas. PTI CDN APL APL

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)