Civic amenities in Pattamundai town and its nearby areas in Kendrapara district are almost non-existent due to continuous neglect by 25-year-old NAC. With urban local body (ULB) polls ahead, the voters of NAC have decided to take the candidates for councillor seats to task on the issue.
Open drains, potholes, water-logging in many wards and mushrooming of unplanned and unauthorised structures have made lives of more than 60,000 people miserable. Drainage has been the main problem here for the last one decade. The civic authorities have still not laid underground sewer lines in the town.
Due to poor drainage system, several parts of the town are prone to water-logging even after a drizzle. The most affected areas are Sandhapali, Bangalidiha, Balipada, Dakhinadiha, Alava, Belatala, Tatana Pokharipada.
Without no outlet for rain water, even moderate rainfall for about one hour floods houses in the low-lying areas of Kasanaghanta, Belatala, Praharajpur and other areas. Inordinate delay in drainage of stagnant water not only causes diseases but also damages the roads. Due to poor repair works, the main roads are replete with potholes. Dumps of garbage continue to remain piled up in front of houses as municipal authorities claim that they do not have enough staff for the purpose.
The area around a pond near Sandhapali has virtually turned into a garbage dump. A heavy stench hangs heavy in the air. The century-old Pattamundai canal is now used as dumping ground of garbage. District Congress president Debendra Sharma alleged that the BJD-led NAC looted most of the funds sanctioned by the State Government for development of Pattamundai areas.
But NAC Chairman Hemant Sahoo claimed that NAC had taken up several developmental works in the last five years. Chief Minister had inaugurated a training institute for plumbers at Pattamundai three years back. “We have also constructed concrete roads, market complex and drinking water supply project in Pattamundai,” he added.