CUTTACK: Collapse of civic amenities, sanitation and drainage facilities in the CDA satellite city of Markat Nagar has spurred the residents to take to agitation. Residents of the area under Markat Nagar Residents’ Association today staged a demonstration and stormed the office of the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) demanding immediate steps to alleviate the civic problems plaguing them.
Led by president Gopal Krushna Mohanty and secretary Nishakar Dash, the residents alleged that the CDA sectors were developed as model residential zones with proper city planning and laced with all amenities.
But years of neglect of maintenance has led to a complete breakdown of the system.
The Sector-6 area, which has been touted as the most posh locality of the city, is the worst victim.
The condition of the area is such that clogged drains have led to overflowing and flooding of the thoroughfares with sewage water.
The underground sewerage channels have broken down and gaping manholes are causing frequent accidents to even fatal consequences.
Drinking water, street lighting and roads are all in a miserable condition, they alleged.
The entire CDA houses more than a lakh population.
With continuous expansion and addition of more sectors, there are at least 4,000 houses in the region. But for the last 21 years, there has been no effort to maintain, revamp or repair the existing civic facilities, Mohanty said.
The residents took the Superintending Engineer of CDA along with them for a visit through the different pockets, particularly Sector-6, to give him a direct view of the prevailing conditions.
Following his assurances that corrective measures would be undertaken and completed in 15 days, the agitation was withdrawn. The residents have, however, warned that if the situation does not improve they would intensify their stir.
