Cuttack, June 4: The civic body is taking measures to pre-empt inundation caused by waterlogging in the city's low-lying areas following the Met department's forecast of six per cent extra rainfall this monsoon.

As a precautionary measure, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation has already asked officials of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) to complete repair and maintenance of sluice gates at Matrubhavan and Khannagar as soon as possible.

The temporary check gates at the two locations play a crucial role in discharging waste and excess rainwater through the city's storm water channels. These sluice gates act as a temporary barricade and help in the systematic flow of wastewater even during floods in the rivers Kathajodi and Mahanadi.

"Due to ongoing construction on the main storm water channels, we have asked Jica officials to complete the repair and maintenance of the sluice gates by June 15," said municipal commissioner Gyana Das.

Das was speaking of construction activities being executed by Jica as part of a proposal to cover the main drains on which a 3.5-km road is expected to come up.

Das said the civic body, so far, had desilted nearly 60 per cent of the surface drains in its 59 wards. It has also removed silt from the main storm water channel from Chatrabazar to Matrubhawan and Gosala to Matagajpur.

However, construction in the main storm water channel No. 1 has delayed desiltation operations this year.

Senior officials said that Jica was expected to carry out the desiltation operations in the main storm water channels between Sri Vihar Colony to Collector Residence at Tulasipur, and Samaj Office to Bakrakabati Road via Meria Bazaar and Kesharpur.

The inordinate delay in carrying out desiltation in the major drainage channels would aggravate waterlogging in low-lying areas within the municipal corporation's limits, such as Kesharpur, Samantsahi, Jhola Sahi, Friends Colony and parts of Pithapur and Bhagatpur, said residents.

The civic body spends around Rs 15 crore every year on de-silting operations to make the drainage channels ready for monsoon.

"The delay in removing sludge, plastic waste and debris from the drainage channels could create problems in the fast discharge of rainwater during the rains," said Professorpara resident Umesh Das.

Das alleged that the main drain was desilted in the first week of June but the process was yet to begin this year.

"Due to the ongoing construction, we are yet to undertake de-silting operations. But, we hope to complete the process at Srivihar Colony, Kesharpur and Professorpara, besides others, before the arrival of monsoon," said a senior Jica official.