SUNDARGARH: The recent rain has brought to fore the faulty drainage system in district headquarters town of Sundargarh.
Every time it rains, the entire town with a population of 45,000 faces artificial flood like situation. Drain water flows over roads and enters houses in low-lying areas.
Md Kalim of Masjidpara under Ward 3 said the polluted water entered his house within a few hours of rain on Saturday night. Md Maqsood of Ward 5 has a similar story. Water-logging during monsoon is a perennial feature, he added.
Civic authorities attributed the problem to faulty drainage system, encroachment of natural drain channel, lack of maintenance and cleaning of existing drain lines. Besides, the road levels are getting higher every year compared to the house levels.
Local BJP leader Sagar Sahu alleged that BJD-led Sundargarh Municipal Council frittered away funds meant for cleaning the drains.
Intermittent rain from Saturday night to Monday mounted the woes of people of 15 Wards of the total 19 Wards. Affected areas included Regent Market, Dengibadi, Ranibagicha, Sankara, Mahadevpada, Khamaripada, Patrapada, Mohantiapada, Panaspada, Thanapada, Masjidpada and Rangadhipa.
If artificial flooding was not enough, people are forced to consume muddy water supplied by PHD over the past 15 days. While river Ib is overflowing, the PHD treatment plant is not equipped to filter the muddy water of the river which is supplied to the people. Housewife Pratiti Mohanty claimed that her water purifier has also failed to clean the water. Lower income households in the town, who have no access to water purifiers, are the worst affected.
Sundargarh Collector Bhupendra Singh Poonia said the Municipality and Irrigation Department officials are working on construction of new drains at vulnerable locations. He also informed that the PHED is working on a project of `7 crore to augment safe drinking water supply.