As incessant rain continued to lash Bhadrak since Monday, flood-like situation prevails in the district. Bhadrak town has also been flooded with the rain water submerging the roads and entering several houses.The worst affected Wards in the town are 14, 16, 18, 11 and 21, 30 where concrete houses have been flooded and the thatched houses damaged.
Despite efforts by the district administration and Bhadrak Municipality, the people have been left in lurch as they are even unable to cook for themselves. “We did not face such alarming situation even during the cyclone Phailin. The entire town is water-logged and most of the roads have been submerged,” said Rabinarayan Ghose, a former councillor. Almost all the roads under the municipality are in a dilapidated state and garbage heaps along the roads have led to acute hygienic problem, he added. According to the District Emergency Office, the district recorded highest rainfall of 140 mm in last three days.
Residents of Kuansa, Acharya Nagar, Dharitri Nagar and Buddha Vihar have been shifted to safer places as their houses have been flooded and the water level is increasing. In the absence of a proper sewerage and drainage system, many areas of the town face the problem of water logging. There is knee-deep water on Bhadrak College campus and the New Bus stand area. Other areas facing the similar situation include Acharya Vihar, Asthal, Nilakanthapur, Hazarinagar, Patnasahi, Apartibindha, Sanasankarpur, Kazimohala, Mirzapur, Gabasahi, Jagannathpur, Santhia and Jenasahi.
Of 16 main drains, six do not function due to encroachments. The oldest drain at Ghosara Bazar has no outlet to flush out the water. All the drain water of the town flows through this main drain to Salandi river. The areas around the drain have been encroached not only by the people but also by the Municipal that has constructed market complexes over the choked drains.“Due to the municipality’s lack of initiative to come up with a systematic garbage disposal system, the stagnant water turns into small ponds,” said Gobinda Mohaptra, former president of Bhadrak Bar Association.
Admitting that flood-like situation prevails in some areas of the town, Chairman of Bhadrak Municipality Manasa Mohanty said, “Municipality has engaged 10 JCP machines to clear the choked drains. Pump sets and fire tenders have also been engaged to drain out the rain water.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of women of Ward-14 staged a demonstration on the road on Friday protesting against poor drainage system in the area.
