HYDERABAD, Aug 22: Residents of union council-12 and 13 on Friday blocked roads leading to the Sabzi Mandi roundabout for more than two hours to protest against poor sanitary conditions in the area.

The protesters, including women, also lit bonfires on the main road.

The residents said insanitary conditions had prevailed in the area and sewage had entered their houses. They said no efforts had been made to remove encroachments on a drain passing through Nusrat Colony.

They said they had been complaining to authorities concerned about the situation but to no avail.

Latifabad Taluka Nazim Abdul Jabbar Khan also arrived at the scene to hold talks with the protesters.

The residents told the Nazim that the situation had not improved despite their complaints.

They said the Nazim and the taluka municipal administration should visit the area.

Later, talking to this correspondent, the taluka Nazim said the situation would improve if the Rs500 million Hyderabad Development Plan, approved by then Governor Mohammedmian Soomro, was implemented.

He said the work on manholes and drainage and sewerage lines was lying incomplete for the last several months following the appointment of the new project director. He said encroachments would be removed from the drain and urged the residents to support the drive.