ROURKELA: Many areas of Rourkela were water-logged on Sunday with incessant rain exposing the lack of monsoon preparedness by Rourkela Municipal Corporation. People in low-lying areas of the city struggled for nearly six hours as rainwater flooded their houses. According to reports, there was rainfall from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon.
At Maguni Basti, rainwater overflowed from clogged drains and entered the houses. In Kalinga Bihar area of Chhend Colony, water entered many low-lying houses up to knee level. Similar situation was witnessed at Jagannath Basti of Panposh, C Block area of Koelnagar and Machhli Market area behind new bus stand.
RMC Commissioner A K Mallick and other officers visited many affected areas. Mallick said water pumps were used at Jagannath Basti, Kalinga Bihar and Maguni Basti areas to clear flood water. Drains in Maguni Basti and Ganju Basti were encroached upon which led to the situation.
The other areas faced water-logging due to unplanned house constructions on low land with no proper drainage system. Mallick attributed water-logging crisis at C Block of Koelnagar to improper sewerage system. Apparently, tender for a new sewerage system has been floated. He said overflowing sewerage water from Koelnagar was drained out using cesspool vehicles and the process took four hours. Low-lying areas of Gopabandhupali, Madhusudanpali, Nepali Basti and Churi Basti also faced water-logging.ENS