Ludhiana, Sept. 11 -- Even as the municipal corporation claims to have completed desilting of the Buddha Nullah and made full preparations for the monsoon, the reality on ground tells a different story. Mounds of filth and sludge that were lifted from the nullah both before and during the rainy season, are still lying unattended along its banks.

With recent rainfall, this black sludge has started washing back into nearby streets and homes. Areas such as Chandan Nagar and Shivpuri were the worst affected, as the foul-smelling waste mixed with rainwater and flowed directly into people's houses, damaging belongings and creating unhygienic conditions.

Local residents have accused the civic body of playing with their health and safety. They ...