Elephants near Deras dam at Chandaka sanctuary. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: Phailin and the subsequent torrential rain have been both a boon and a bane for the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary here.

The cyclone has uprooted hundreds of bamboo trees and damaged other plantation sites, while the heavy rainfall over the past few days have recharged water bodies inside the sanctuary.

The lakes are the main source of water for the sanctuary’s animals.

A forest official said the cyclone had damaged gabions and fencing of more than 30,000 saplings. It has also affected the roads inside the sanctuary.

An official estimate states that 38.6km of road built for eco-tourism on the sanctuary premises has been badly damaged by the cyclone and the subsequent rainfall.

Forest officials hoped that the a herd of 24 elephants, which had been roaming around Chandaka for the past few months, would stay here longer as rain had recharged the two major water bodies — Jhumka and Deras.

“The reservoirs dry up in every summer. But after the heavy rainfall of the past few days, the water bodies would be able to meet the water demand of the animals throughout the rest of the year,” said divisional forest officer of Chandaka Manoj Mohapatra.

The sanctuary, spread over 193sqkm, has 23 natural water bodies of which Deras and Jhumka reservoirs are spread over about 10 acres. Chandaka attracts about 15,000 tourists every year.

Storm lays bare temple truth

Phailin and subsequent incessant rainfall have taken a toll on ancient temples in the city. While overflowing drainage channels have submerged the historic structures in some places, faulty ground-levelling work by public works department and unplanned urbanisation have been blamed for causing a threat to the temples in other areas. The Telegraph scans the problem areas

Swarnajaleswar Temple

Location: Near Kotitirtheswar Lane at Old Town
Problem: Overflowing drainage channel No. 7 has submerged the 10th century temple. Rainwater has entered even the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum)
TT suggests: Drainage division should erect a concrete boundary wall near the heritage structure

Suvarneswar Temple

Location: Near Kotitirtheswar Lane at Old Town
Problem: The idols and other structures of this temple remained submerged in rainwater for five days. Located on the other side of drainage channel No. 7, the 11th century temple always carries a threat of being inundated following a spell of heavy shower.
TT suggests: Drainage division should divert the channel or construct boundary walls to prevent flow of rainwater

Vaital Temple

Location: Near Tinimundia Square along Ratha Road
Problem: The temple used to be waterlogged every now and then. In 2011, Archaeological Survey of India, along with departments of culture and housing and urban development, took temporary steps to pump out rainwater from its premises. But, water accumulated inside the 7th century temple again during the recent rainfall
TT suggests: ASI and state government should take permanent measures to revive
the old drainage outlet of the temple, which now lies encroached

Megheswar Temple

Location: On Ravi Talkies-Sai Temple Road
Problem: An outlet used to connect the 12th century temple’s pond with Gangua nullah. Now, there is no space for passage of water, as the outlet has been encroached upon by local people
TT suggests: ASI and state government have to free the channel from encroachment

“Public works department should construct roads and drains following the ground levels of the historical monuments. But, the PWD people raise the ground level of the roads and drains, causing a flood-like situation on the heritage site premises”

Bhuvan Vikrama, superintending archaeologist, ASI

“We had informed drainage division, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Bhubaneswar Development Authority about frequent waterlogging on the temple premises. But after Phailin and subsequent incessant rainfall, we shall give them a complete report on how to divert the drainage channel No. 7 to save the historic monuments”

BP Ray, superintending archaeologist, state archaeology

“We shall shortly assess the drainage problems of Swarnajaleswar and Suvarneswar temples and some other monuments close to the drainage channels. Accordingly, we will
devise measures so that the structures are not affected by rainwater”

Brundaban Bastia, chief engineer (drainage)

Text by Bibhuti Barik and Sandip Bal, pictures by Ashwinee Pati