Cuttack, June 30: Congress councillors today targeted the civic body for its failure to formulate a comprehensive strategy to tackle waterlogging.

Heavy rain on June 26 and 27 left the city waterlogged with schoolchildren and pedestrians having to wade through knee-deep water to reach their destinations.

At a council meeting, Opposition councillors blamed corporation officials for not taking appropriate and timely measures to clean drainage channels before the rains. They also expressed concern over the poor co-ordination between civic officials and those of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) project for removal of blockages in the main storm water channel Nos. 1 and 2.

"The civic body failed to remove the blockages in the main drainage channels and it has led to severe waterlogging during the heavy rain that lashed the city for two days recently," said Congress councillor from ward No. 4 Giribala Behera.

Behera said the municipal corporation had failed to improve the city's overall sanitation measures. She also alleged that the Cuttack Municipal Corporation was unduly favouring Ramky, a private company that was roped in earlier to collect and dispose of the city's solid waste.

"Though the agreement with the private firm had expired on April 30, the corporation is yet to invite fresh tenders. The delay has affected the overall sanitation in all 59 wards and it is creating problems for residents," Behera added.

BJD councillors, on other hand, claimed that the corporation had taken all possible measures to prevent waterlogging. It had completed de-silting drainage channels before June 15, they said.

But as officials of the Jica-assisted integrated sanitation project had not removed the blockages, it created problems in the drainage of rainwater through the main storm water channels, they said.

"The Cuttack Municipal Corporation is being blamed for waterlogging in the city because of the officials of the Jica project. We will shortly discuss the issue with senior state government officials and urge them to take appropriate action against the erring officials," said BJD's ward No. 24 councillor Ranjan Biswal.

"According to instructions from the revenue divisional commissioner, we have prepared an action plan to ensure there is no obstruction of the main drainage channels. It will allow fast clearance of rainwater in case of heavy rain," said municipal commissioner Gyana Das.Das also said they have asked Jica officials to restore the roads that have been dug up to lay sewerage lines in different parts of the city.Das said he expected to invite fresh tenders within the next couple of days.

Biswal also said the use of polythene and plastic created problems in the timely clearance of rainwater, clogging the drainage channels at multiple locations.