radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Fed up with floods, Penal residents are calling on the authorities to find out who authorised a land developer to cover an existing drain in their community with pan decking, a corrugated metal sheet.
Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, resident Glenford Ramnarine said there is now no access to clean the drain and this can have devastating consequences for the community.
“This is the only watercourse for the water to pass and it is clogged. Since the PDRC build this drain they cleaning it but now this cannot be done because there is no access,” he complained.
Showing photos of the last flooding event under his home, Ramnarine said all the residents of Solomon Knox Trace, Penal, will face severe flooding if the problem is not corrected.
“I am not against anyone developing their land but I feel he did something wrong when he put the decking pan and cover the drain with concrete. He said he will correct it but I don’t know how he going to do that,” Ramnarine said.
He explained: “At present, the drain is covered over about 55 feet to 60 feet with a decking pan and casting. And also there is a wall built around it, about four feet backfilled yesterday, without a manhole. When this drain is clogged, how it is someone will get in here to clean it?” he declared.
Ramnarine said the Government built the drain to alleviate flooding, adding that it is always cleaned by Penal Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC).
“Now this drain is blocked, what will happen to the houses in the back?” he asked.
However, the landowner, who requested anonymity, said the drain had been built through his land by the PDRC.
“The corporation had run the drain slant and we asked them to come and visit. Someone came and say if I supply the material, they will provide the labour but a year passed and they didn’t come,” the developer explained.
He said he eventually went to the corporation and informed them that he was going to put a decking pan over the drain.
“I tell them I will cover it with decking pan and I would put a flood gate to the back end so we stop any major debris and clean it from there,” he said.
He said he has helped neighbours to ensure there are no flooding issues.
“We even put an eight-inch line underneath to drain his property to the drain so he wouldn’t get water build-up,” the landowner said. He noted, however, that he will work with the neighbours to reach an agreement.
Councillor for Penal Shanty Boodram, who met with residents, said she had alerted the county superintendent about the problem.
“These villagers always have a problem with flooding. I do not know if he has Town and Country approval for this parcel of land because he is starting to build. I brought it to the attention of the county superintendent and it needs to be solved before the rainy season starts. This will cause serious flooding so we have to see how best we can solve this problem,” Boodram added.
