BHAWANIPATNA: The Bhawanipatna Municipality on Wednesday started a cleanliness drive and sanitation works at Sebak Pada in Bhawanipatna.
The move comes within two days of TNIE highlighting the plight of sanitation workers who are forced to reside in pitiable conditions in the locality.
Around 500 sanitation workers employed by local civic body and other private organisations engaged in cleanliness operations reside in Ward 7 locality that has been christened Sebak Pada. But the area is one of the worst maintained localities in the town with dilapidated roads, heaps of garbage piled up and overflowing drains.
Despite being in the town, the locality has no electricity supply. A report on lack of civic amenities in Sebak Pada was published in these columns earlier this week.
A technical team of the municipality and sanitation staff cleaned the roads and clogged drains in the area today.
In the next few days, they would repair the lone drain and connect it with main drain in the town. The outlet of the drain is clogged as a result of which, water overflows on the road.
Also, as the drain is not connected to the main drain, sewage water of the colony is not drained out and accumulates on the road.
During monsoon, residents have to wade through stagnated sewage water to enter their homes. The land between the drain in Sebak Pada colony and the main drain of the town has been encroached as a result of which, civic authorities are not been able to link them.
Waterlogging near a tubewell which is the only drinking water source for the colony, was cleared by the workers.
The residents were apprehensive of outbreak of water-borne diseases due to unhygienic conditions and had apprised the Municipality authorities about the issues.
Executive officer Biswamber Mishra said sanitation works are being undertaken in a war-footing. Mishra said steps are being taken to clean drain and link it to the town’s main drainage channel.
Besides, the PHD has been asked to shift the tubewell to a clean and safer place.