Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Rai on Tuesday questioned the functioning of the Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) and Jal Kal department over recurring sewer blockages and waterlogging, despite claims of pre-monsoon cleaning drives and regular maintenance.
Addressing a press conference in Varanasi, Rai also raised issues of inflation, unemployment and basic civic amenities, but focused on the city’s drainage and sewer systems. Referring to sacks filled with sand found inside sewer lines in Shivala and some other areas two days ago, Rai alleged that the incident was being used to deflect attention from civic authorities’ failures. Rai questioned how sewer blockages and waterlogging continued to recur despite expenditure on drainage and repeated claims of cleaning drives. The VNN has lodged an FIR against unidentified persons after sacks filled with sand were found in sewer lines in Shivala and other areas.
He said special one-month cleanliness drives had been planned during the pre-monsoon periods of May-June in 2024 and 2025, while silt and blockages in the Old Kashi area were to be cleared during October-November of both years. He said around ₹ 115 crore had been allocated for drainage and comprehensive cleaning during 2025-26, while zonal offices were to receive ₹ 15 lakh to ₹ 25 lakh each for regular and emergency drainage cleaning.
“This is part of a conspiracy by the BJP that wants to evade accountability regarding public issues in Kashi,” he alleged, adding that the sack incident was being “manufactured” to mask the failures of the VNN and the mayor. Rai demanded an impartial probe and said CCTV footage from the locations should be secured and examined to establish who brought and dumped the sacks into the sewer lines. “The truth must be revealed to the public,” he said. Rai said the VNN was responsible for cleaning open drains and channels, while the Jal Kal department handled underground sewer lines. He said the responsibilities were clearly defined and both departments’ functioning should be reviewed to fix accountability rather than shifting blame.
