A doctor checks a patient at a relief camp in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Sept. 12: The district administration and civic body have geared up to restore city’s sanitation senario, which has been severely affected by the floods.

Sanitation has emerged as a major concern for them as heaps of garbage could be seen everywhere across the city. At several places, drains have been choked.

“We have already started our work. Additional secretary of state urban development department has visited the city to supervise sanitation work. We have started lifting the garbage from the city,” said executive officer of Sambalpur municipality, Subash Chandra Sethia.

Chairperson of the municipality Reena Trivedi said: “We have decided to hire vehicles and labourers to expedite the sanitation work. We have already started cleaning the garbage with the help of existing casual labourers.”

However, Trivedi said sanitation work could face hurdles because of the lack of equipment.

“I have even requested the urban development authorities to provide us with equipment so that we could expedite the work in the city,” said the civic body chief.

“We have started using bleaching powder in several parts of the city. I have requested the councillors to prepare a list of damaged houses and submit it to the tehsildar so that the affected people could get compensation,” said Trivedi.

The health department has also made preparations to tackle the situation in the aftermath of the flood. Chief district medical officer, Bhakta Prashad Guru, said: “We have already taken measures to sanitise the wells. We are thinking of launching an awareness campaign asking people to use boiled water in Sambalpur and other the flood-affected pockets.”

“Moreover, seven mobile teams are moving around Sambalpur to check patients. Diarrhoea is a major threat in the aftermath of flood which has to be fought,” said Guru.