Chandigarh, July 2 -- As rains lashed Chandigarh, sewage water entered the staff canteen at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). The canteen serves tea, snacks and meals for employees are prepared on daily basis. Located near Research Block A and B, the canteen is run by Employees' Welfare Canteen Management Committee, PGIMER. Besides catering to a daily footfall of 1,000 employees, the canteen also supplies snacks and tea in trolleys to various buildings, OT, wards and offices of the institute. A visit by this correspondent revealed that sewage water was entering through the kitchen and flowing into the dining area. With the passage between the kitchen and canteen completely filled with the wastewater, around 50 permanent and outsourced workers are left with no option but to walk through it and prepare meals in unhygienic conditions. A contractual worker, who has been working at the canteen since 2018, said, "This isn't the first time it has happened. Every year, we face this problem of drainage water entering the canteen." Management committee chairperson Dr SP Singh could not be contacted as he is on leave till July 15. An official of the canteen management committee, requesting anonymity, said that a complaint has been sent to the engineering department. An official from the department had also visited the canteen but the problem persists. Lt Col Gurvinder Singh Bhatti, superintending hospital engineer of PGIMER, said there are several reasons for sewage water flowing into thecanteen. "Unprecedented rains led to pressure on the main storm lines of PGI and UT. After the main stormwater drains of UT were cleaned, storm water from within PGI started overflowing. The water entered the cafeteria as it is on a lower level. Adding to it is the fact that the kitchen waste constantly blocks the line behind the cafeteria," he said. Besides the sewage water problem that started two days ago, the peeling paint on the kitchen's ceiling poses another risk.Workers state that they have to be extra careful while working as the wall paint keeps peeling off. A proposal to renovate the canteen has been doing the rounds for the past few years. Renovation in-charge Dr Sameer Aggarwal said they have been working on renovation plans for almost a year and the file for budgeting is pending with the engineering department. The budget for the project, including renovation of staff canteen, doctor's canteen on the first floor and third floor, could go up to Rs.5 crore.Lt Col Bhatti said a Delhi-based architect is planning the renovation and the project may start in the next five to seven months....