CUTTACK: Residents of Sutahat and its nearby localities in ward no 18 of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) heaved a sigh of relief on Friday after the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) which is carrying out the JICA-funded Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (ISIP) started repair of the portion of a drain and a road that has been lying damaged for the last-one-and-a-half years.
The OWSSB was moved to action after the plight of the locals was highlighted by the The New Indian Express in a report on July 27. A portion of the guard wall of the drain near Mehebub Pola was lying damaged for the last one-and-a-half years. Though the locals had taken up the matter with CMC repeatedly, no steps were taken to repair the drain. The civic body’s apathy had resulted in erosion of a road beside the drain which was reduced from 8 feet in width to just three feet causing serious problems for the locals.
“After much hue and cry, finally the officials have come forward and started repairing the damaged portion of the drain and road by piling wooden beams and placing sand bags on a temporary basis from Thursday night. For the time being, we have got a little respite from the long-standing problem but we do not know how long the temporary structure will hold up,” said a resident.
CMC Commissioner Ananya Das who is also in-charge project director of ISIP said the portion of the damaged drain and road is being repaired on temporary basis as it is not possible to stop the flow of drain during monsoon. “There is scope for permanent repair of the portion of the damaged drain and road under JICA-funded project. We will carry out permanent repairs after monsoon,” she said.