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Residents fear water-logging as monsoon approaches

Correspondent

Desilting of drains progressing at a snail's pace

Cuttack: Vast stretches of residential accommodations, located in low-laying areas of Cuttack city are set to face yet another waterlogged monsoon as desilting of drains in the city are not yet complete. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) as usual was found `shaky' in its approach to prevent water logging as the drains across the city have all been choked.

People staying in areas like Gamhadia, Friends' Colony, Pattapola, Suta Hat, Rausapatna, Badambadi Labour Colony, Mahanadi Vihar, Gandarpur, Kalyan Nagar, the satellite township of CDA at Markatnagar, High Court Colony, Ganga Mandir, Buxi Bazaar, Thoria Sahi are a worried lot as these areas witness waist-deep rainwater mixed with muck-filled drain water for days together during monsoons.

Owing to Cuttack city's peculiar topographic shape that is like a frying kadai surrounded by river on three sides, drainage of storm and wastewater had been the major cause for concern. The century-old drainage system of the city is grossly inadequate and the woes mount due to conversion of water bodies, which acted as water absorbers have all vanished giving way to homestead lands for residential accommodations.

Despite standing instructions from the High Court to complete the desilting work of Cuttack drains before the onset of monsoon preferable by May 31 every year, over 70 per cent of drains in the city are choked with mock, alleges the advocate committee of the High Court. The city unit of CPI(M) goes a step further, alleging that desiltation work in about 25 km of main drain and 29 km of branch drain have not yet started even as the High Court deadline is over a week ago.

`Faulty' concept

According to several corporators of the civic body, the very fact of executing the desilting of drains by the municipal health officer and sanitary inspectors is a 'faulty' concept itself. Another acute problem is the vanishing of water bodies from the city.

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