CUTTACK: Uncovered drains across localities in the city are posing a serious threat to the citizens. With Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) turning a blind eye to the danger, several people have sustained injuries by falling into open drains during the rains.
According to sources, the civic body manages 1,729 km of drains, including 519.66 km surface drains, 130.34 km major drains, two major storm water channels with 22 km length, 29-km branch storm water channel and 1,028 km earthen drains. Most of the drains along the city roads are lying uncovered, endangering the lives of pedestrians and motorists.
While the concrete slabs on several drains have been damaged causing frequent mishaps, the civic body is yet to initiate step towards repairing or replacing it. On June 23, Joshabant Barik of Jobra Rehman Square area sustained injuries after he fell into an open drain. "There was waterlogging in our area due to heavy rain. I sustained serious injuries after my bike slipped into the uncovered drain," said Barik.
In February 2018, Santosh Kumar Das, a 32-year-old man, had died after falling into an open drain at Meria Bazaar. He was returning home on his bicycle when he accidentally fell into the uncovered drain near his house.
The sanitary workers of the civic body had removed the slab for cleaning the drain but forgot to cover it back. The CMC authorities have failed to wake up to the life-threatening issue even after two years of the fatal accident.
People residing at Kala Bikash Kendra (KBK) Road have alleged that though the drain passing through their residential area was repaired a year back, the civic body authorities are yet to put slabs on it. "As the CMC turned a deaf ear to our grievances, we were forced to cover a portion of the drain in front of our house with wooden planks," said Kamini Nayak, a resident of KBK Road area.
Recently, two persons had fallen into the drain due to waterlogging, she added. CMC Executive Engineer DR Tripathy, however, said steps are being taken to cover the drains in the city through self-help groups (SHGs) under Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan Yojana (MUKTA Yojana).