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Balasore, Sept. 15: Several parts of this district headquarters town remained waterlogged following incessant rain today.
Normal life was thrown out of gear as most parts of the town remained inundated with rainwater till late last evening. Fresh showers only compounded the miseries of the residents of this town today when the already accumulated rainwater was hardly drained out.
Last evening, the municipal authorities had to shift about 100 people from a waterlogged ward located in the heart of the town to a nearby school. “We have shifted nearly 100 people, including women and children. They have been given temporary shelter in the Suelpur Upper Primary School,” said Rekha Piri, councillor of ward No. 26.
Vice-chairman of Balasore Municipality Manoj Rout said that the affected people were shifted to the school fearing more rainfall and subsequent waterlogging.
District collector Akhil Bihari Ota said he had asked the local tehsildar to look after the welfare of the evacuees. He has also ordered the municipal authorities to clear the clogged drains.
Balasore town has been witnessing incessant rainfall for the last couple of days. The town received about 96mm rainfall in the two hours’ downpour yesterday.
Several arterial roads connecting to Cinema Square, FM College, Proof Colony, Motiganj Fandi Square, Congress Office Lane, Mathasahi, Suelpur, Barabati, Sunhat, and Artakabiraj Road were inundated by overflowing sewage. This has brought road communication virtually to a grinding halt.
Healthcare services in the district headquarters hospital and several nursing homes in the town were also disrupted.
“Every monsoon, people here face a lot of difficulties because of the indifferent attitude of Balasore Municipality. The waterlogging exposed the defects in drainage system for which lakhs of rupees are being spent each month,” said Amar Nanda, a resident of the town.
The municipal authorities, however, maintained that yesterday’s rainfall rain was unprecedented.
“The town received about 100mm rainfall yesterday. The situation here was really awful when drain water flooded the roads. Our team struggled till late night to clear the waterlogging,” said Sudhansu Nayak, executive officer of Balasore Municipality.