Outrage in Odisha's Berhampur as 11-year-old drowns in city’s overflowing drain
BERHAMPUR: Death of an 11-year-old boy after falling into an overflowing open drain on Wednesday at Laxminrusingh Street has ignited outrage with residents alleging municipal negligence.
The victim, Sairam Patra, was reportedly returning from tuition on his bicycle when the incident occurred. Since the drain was open, the heavy rainfall caused it to overflow. The child fell into it and drowned, the parents alleged.
Local residents noticed the incident and quickly raised an alarm, initiating a search for the boy. Fire brigade personnel joined the effort, and after more than four hours, Sairam’s body was recovered around 2 am from the drain.
BeMC commissioner Bhabani Shankar Mishra said two drains in the area are connected to a culvert. “The boy was playing near the culvert when his bicycle fell into the drain. Sairam fell into the drain while trying to recover his bicycle,” said Mishra.
BeMC mayor Sanghamitra Dalai added that while one side of the drain was covered, the other side still required work.
Residents blamed BeMC authorities for the mishap and demanded action against the commissioner and junior engineer responsible for the area. They also demanded Rs 20 lakh compensation for the victim’s family and covering of all open drains.
Advocate Asit Kumar Sabat, along with others, criticised the city’s drainage infrastructure, alleging that faulty designs and inadequate maintenance frequently cause artificial flooding, leaving roads waterlogged even after minor rains. BeMC records show that out of the city’s 457 km drain, only 162 km are properly constructed, while the rest are kuccha and poorly maintained, he added.
Moreover, the channels that carry wastewater and rainwater to the sea, Bahana Nala and Sapua Nala, are cleaned only once a year, leading to clogged and polluted conditions. People residing in areas near the channels, both of which are around 17 km long, face problems due to the stagnated water that turn into a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Residents alleged that every year lakhs of rupees are spent for cleaning shrubs and garbage from the channels. This year Rs 15 lakh has been earmarked and the task entrusted to a contractor. But the shrub cleaning has not been completed even after more than a month of rains, they pointed out.
“Despite spending over Rs 100 crore from 2018 to 2023 on roads and drains, the infrastructure remains in poor condition, with drains remaining without cover leading to frequent accidents,” the residents stated.
Senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabasa Panda criticised the lack of a master plan for stormwater and sewage systems, attributing the persistent issues to poor engineering and planning.