BHADRAK: For residents of Bhadrak, the monsoon brings along with it the fear of artificial flooding. The town, which is witnessing large-scale unplanned constructions, lacks a proper drainage system. The recent heavy rainfall exposed Bhadrak Municipality’s failure in handling waterlogging. Many areas remained waterlogged in the absence of sewerage system. Encroachment on drainage channels and river beds only added to the problem. Asthal, Nilakanthapur, Hazarinagar, Kantabania, Kantapal, Patanasahi, Jenasahi, Apartibindha, Sanasankarpur, Kajimahala, Mirzapur, Kuansha, Prafulla Nagar and Acharya Nagar were the worst affected areas as people had to wade through knee-deep water.
Of the 16 main drains in the town, six have become non-existent due to encroachments while others are either choked by garbage or have little space to drain out rainwater. The main drain at Ghosara Bazaar, constructed during pre-Independence days, has no mouth to flush out rainwater. All the drain water flows through this drain and falls into the river Salandi. Strangely, even the municipality has constructed market buildings over this drain.
On the other hand, alleged lack of initiative on the part of the municipality to dispose of garbage has compounded people’s woes. Heaps of garbage have choked the nullahs in the town leading to problems like ankle-deep stagnant water in front of houses every year. Adding to the problem is the rising number of unplanned buildings, which are constructed in violation of Bhadrak Town Planning Authority (BTPA) rules.
In Acharya Nagar, Bahuda Nagar, Prafulla Nagar, Kantakabi Nagar, New Colony, Stadium Colony, Salandi Nagar and Budha Nagar, 300 such illegal constructions have come up which do not have drainage channels or approach roads. Municipality sources said the Union Development department had directed the Sewerage Board to prepare a project to develop the drainage system of the town in 2002, but it could not be implemented as Bhadrak Municipality failed to deposit its share of `20 lakh towards the project.
Manas Mohanty, Chairman of Bhadrak Municipality, said the renovation of drains is going on and funds have been sanctioned for two new drains. Meanwhile, Bhadrak tehsildar Pradip Kumar Sahu on Thursday stopped construction of a building on the bank of river Salami.