BHUBANESWAR: Five days is all it took Bhubaneswar to transform from Smart City into Swamp City. On Saturday, the Capital lived up to its new name yet again when the civic inefficiency administered floods gripped its entire expanse for the second time in the week, driving citizens into utter despair.
In a first, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force had to be deployed in the State Capital to rescue people from their flooded homes. The magnitude of the flooding was astounding as children, men and women were caught unawares when swirling water entered their houses during wee hours of the day after heavens opened up.
For hours, the storm water combined with sewer from clogged and overflowing drains refused to relent as denizens watched their homes, possessions and valuables left to waste.
It was not nature’s fury which subjected people of the Capital to unspeakable misery because such plight was unheard of even when the 1999 Super Cyclone or Phailin in 2013 struck the State.
Blame it on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) which not only turned a blind eye to the massive encroachment of major drains by builders, slum dwellers and traders which compounded flooding and waterlogging but also paid lip service to the round-the-year regular operation and maintenance works.
In 2017-18, the BMC spent close to `78 lakh on repair and maintenance of storm water drains while another `51 lakh was allocated for maintaining lakes and ponds which play a major role in water management. Another `12.9 crore was pumped into garbage and clearance which included expenses of the Drainage Division while private agencies pocketed a whopping `51 crore for cleaning.
Where did all this expenditure go? Because, when the storm water gushed in, silted drains threw up the excess load into houses of the residents. Why were most drainage systems full of plastic and other waste if the cleaning services were carried out in letter and spirit?
While the Bhubaneswar Development Authority went on granting approval for construction to all and sundry on flood zones, wetland and natural drains, the BMC went about its duties in a perfunctory manner. Angry residents were seen cutting up roads and drains in many parts of the City as the existing drainage systems came a cropper on Saturday.
This year, in the budget, BMC earmarked `67.79 crore for municipal solid waste management, sanitation, sweeping and transport of the waste while making provision for operation and maintenance at about `4.21 crore. Needless to say, the big spendings did not show any result when it mattered the most.