CUTTACK: Illegal hoardings and unfenced transformers are not the only hazards in Cuttack. Uncovered valve chambers at residential areas and busy markets also pose threat to commuters in the city.
Even as Water Corporation of Odisha Limited (Watco) is yet to cover the chambers, several mishaps have been reported from localities across the city. Watco has been constructing valve chambers at different places in the city to open and close water supply pipelines. The diameter of a valve chamber varies depends on pipelines, the number and dimensions of valves.
Sources said some chambers constructed along Cantonment Road are lying uncovered for the last several weeks. Similarly, the ones at busy Tinikonia Bagicha and Dargha Bazaar-Dolamundai Road at Shilip Kumbhar Sahi are lying uncovered for over a week.
“While valve chambers are lying uncovered, Watco is yet to come up with safety measures. The agency has neither put up any caution or warning signs at the places nor erected barricades at the site,” alleged locals. After several mishaps during night, residents of Tinikonia Bagicha put stones around around the uncovered valve in the locality.
General manager, WATCO, Cuttack division, Debabrata Mohanty said the ‘Sujal-Drink From Tap Mission’ is being implemented in the city to provide 24×7 safe drinking water toerect barricades around the incomplete valve chambers and cover the ones that residents. “We shall have been completed as soon as possible,” he said.