radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Desperate to escape perennial floods, residents of Sukal Trace, in Woodland, came together and spent $100,000 in private funds to do excavation works.
But instead of helping the community, the works have caused a rift among residents.
This was because the project was done without technical advice or permission from the Siparia Regional Corporation and the Town and Country Planning Division.
The newly excavated drains were dug along a road reserve at the side of two houses owned by Hamid Mohamed and his brother Fazil Mohamed.
Speaking to Guardian Media (Hamid) Mohammed admitted to having meetings with residents but said he did not know that the drains would pose a risk to their properties. Since the excavation, Mohamed said his back yard has become a hazard.
“Cockroaches, rats and snakes are climbing my wall since this drain dig and I cannot even come out in the back to breeze out. I have little children, the youngest is three years old,” he said.
Showing a police receipt, Mohamed said he made a report at the Siparia Police Station.
His neighbour Radica Sookhansingh said they have been battling devastating floods ever since a resident backfilled the main watercourse.
In November last year, they wrote to the Siparia Regional Corporation outlining their concerns.
Sookhansingh said she even called the Town and Country Planning Division but no help was forthcoming.
After meeting with over a dozen residents, Sookhansingh said the community decided to pool monies together and execute a drainage programme themselves. They spent more than $100,000 in private funds.
Sookhansingh said after consultation with everyone they dug the drain at the back of their homes and alongside Hamid’s property along the road reserve.
Another resident Winston Sammy said Mohammed even showed them his boundary and held a nylon cord while they took measurements.
“Then overnight he turn on us,” Sammy claimed. He admitted that there was no technical advice or written permission from the Siparia Regional Corporation but noted that the drainage was done to alleviate the flooding in the entire neighbourhood.
But contacted for comment, councillor for Avocat/San Francique Doodnath Mayrhoo said he never received any correspondence from the residents requesting technical expertise from the corporation.
He said last year some backfilling was done by a resident and a watercourse was diverted. Mayrhoo said he and the Building inspector visited the area and gave advice to the resident about taking corrective action.
He said the corporation would never grant permission for a drain to be dug along a road reserve.
Mayrhoo said before any work was done a proper survey had to be executed in the area. He said the corporation’s team will visit the community today to assess the problem.