Water Accumulation in Olivia: A Nonagenarian Falls at Her Door

A mundane scene, but one with serious consequences. On Sunday, April 27, a nonagenarian fell in front of her house in Olivia while heading to church. The cause: stagnant water that has turned her yard entrance into a pond every time it rains for months. Despite several complaints lodged with the Citizens Advice Bureau and the District Council, no concrete action has been taken yet. Concern is growing.

Mary Joyce, her granddaughter, decided to raise the alarm once again. "I've filed complaints several times. They come, they look, they say they will do something... and in the end, nothing has changed. My grandmother is 90 years old. She can no longer walk properly. On Sunday, she fell into the water and had a hard time," she recounts, her voice trembling.

This issue isn’t new. Mary Joyce explains that water has been stagnating every time it rains for over a year now. The neighborhood residents are now worried for their safety, especially the children who use this path to get to school. The water not only makes the passage slippery, it hides holes and stones, increasing the risk of accidents.

"This isn’t just a simple puddle. It’s like a lake in front of the house. Children slip, people can’t get out when it rains. It’s dangerous. We always get the same answer: they will look into it," Mary Joyce continues, exasperated.

The District Council Confirms, but Awaits the LDA

Kissoon Dhanraj, president of the Flacq District Council, acknowledges the extent of the problem and shares the residents' concerns. He confirms that the necessary work exceeds the local council's capabilities. "This type of intervention requires re-engineering of the pathway. It needs to be elevated or redirected to another area. For this, we need financial support from the Land Drainage Authority (LDA)," he explains.