CUTTACK: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation’s failure to clear encroachments from the drainage channels has posed the biggest hindrance to effective cleaning and desiltation, which results in widespread waterlogging in the city during the rains.
Rampant unauthorised constructions and structures mainly street shops and stalls over the drains across the city have made drain cleaning impossible at many places. Such is the situation that many of the illegal structures have been given on rent to street vendors to run their businesses. At several places, temporary houses have been set up and used for living by the homeless people.
Despite proclamations by the civic body and multiple orders of the Orissa High Court, no concrete step has been taken to clear the encroachments and ensure that the drains are left unoccupied. Sporadic eviction drives have yielded no result as after some time the encroachments and illegal shops and stalls come up at the very spot that have been cleared.
“We are facing problem in desilting and cleaning the drains as it is impossible on our part to remove the encroachments and then the concrete slabs for the purpose,” said some sanitary workers of the outsourcing agencies engaged by the CMC for draining cleaning work.
Local residents alleged that despite the high court’s order, the CMC has turned a blind eye to the problem. They pointed out that it has also worsened the traffic congestion problem in the city.
Massive encroachments can be seen in areas like Badambadi, Mangalabag, Ranihat, Bajrakabati Road, Buxi Bazar, Tala Telenga Bazar, Gauri Shankar Park and College Square, etc where the drains are lying unclean.
“The CMC officials are not supervising the drain cleaning and desilting work properly or reporting to the higher authorities for initiating necessary action to remove the encroachments. How will they be able to carry out the work if the encroachments are not removed?” questioned Saroj Mallik of Gauri Shankar Park.
He further alleged that the civic body has itself set up some stalls on drain slabs. Unless the encroachments are completely removed from drains, the city will face sanitation, waterlogging and traffic problems, he added.
Mayor Subhas Singh, however, asserted the civic body is carrying out work as per the high court order on priority basis. “We are planning for rehabilitation before carrying out eviction drive,” he added.