MUMBAI, JULY 12: A choked drain ignored by civic authorities turned into a death trap last evening, killing a six-year-old boy in Bandra (West). Anish's lonely body was discovered by his parents late last evening as it floated in the water-logged bylane leading to their home in the White Orchid building near the Hong Kong bank junction. Even as they rushed their son to the hospital, outraged building residents placed the blame at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) door for ignoring their numerous complaints regarding the choked drain and water-logging.Ironically, after failed attempts to clean the drain, H-West officials put their choke machine to work today and managed to clear a part of the blockage. But, for the Parikh's, it was too little too late.The complaint filed by Anish's father Dr Hitesh Parikh at the Bandra police station states that Anish rode out of the colony on his bicycle in the evening. The Parikhs hit the panic button when their son had not yet come home till late evening. Frantic, his parents called his friends and when nobody could tell them about Anish's whereabouts, they set out to search for their son.Parikh first spotted Anish's bicycle floating in the water-logged back lane and then stumbled across his son's body. According police, Anish suffered head injuries. Relatives add that the six-year-old probably fell off his cycle but could not get up because of the water that ``practically drowned him''.Distraught family members sat in stunned silence in their White Orchid flat, appalled at the callous attitude of civic officials. Reluctant to talk about the incident, all the family now wants is that the drainage system be looked into to prevent similar tragedies.According to the H-ward office of the BMC, the waterlogging in the narrow bylane which enters the building compound from the back was caused by a choked main drainage pipe. The clogged drain results in water collecting in the compound of this 12-storeyed building, forcing residents of 24 flats to wade through water all through the monsoon season.Residents of White Orchid, a new building, have been up in arms against the water logging and piles of garbage heaping up outside their colony. Complaints have been filed, countless visits made to the BMC office and much initiative taken to try and organise the area. Residents allege thatthe BMC's response was delayed and sporadic.According to the sewerage section of the H West ward office, complaints from Parikh have been coming in periodically. An official from the department says: ``Dr Parikh has been in touch with us. Six months ago we received a similar complaint from him and looked into the matter. A fortnight ago, he complained again. We tried to clear the block last week, but our rod got stuck and we had to abandon work. Today, we have managed to do some work despite rains.''Residents, however, say that Parikh complained as recently as yesterday afternoon to the BMC. Relatives add that Parikh was always worried about the water-logging and expressed apprehensions about children getting hurt time and again.
