Bhubaneswar, May 25: The state government has asked the municipal corporations of the twin cities to prepare action plans for flood management and waterlogging ahead of the monsoon. Pre-monsoon rain is expected to hit the state on June 1.
Housing and urban development department secretary G. Mathivathanan today said: "Necessary instructions have been issued to avert flooding and to check waterlogging in urban areas during the rainy season. The authorities concerned have been asked to take measures to face situations such as excessive rain, flood and cyclone. Besides these two corporations, other municipalities have also been asked to make action plans."
Officials said urban local bodies, with the assistance of drainage officials and sewerage board officials, would take up a joint verification to ensure clearance and de-silting of all clogged drainage channels by June 15.
"Steps would be taken up to repair and cover drains and manholes," an official said.
They said instructions had been issued for 100 per cent verification of all drains and manholes - both open and closed. In August 2015, a nine-year-old boy died after being swept away by an overflowing drain near Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar.
The department has also asked the urban bodies to ensure that there is no encroachment of drains and drainage channels. It also asked the officials to identify spots vulnerable to floods and keep the mobile pump sets ready. The department has asked the responsible officials to take strong action against people who have dumped large quantity of construction and demolition materials over drains and on the roadside.
It has also asked the civic bodies to ban sale, use and circulation of polythene products such as bags, plastic glasses and gutkha packs in urban areas to avoid clogging of drains. Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: "Steps are being take up clean the drains. Tenders will be floated shortly to clean three major drains in the city."
Cuttack mayor Meena-kshee Behera also said: "We are taking steps to clean the drains on a war footing."
