Wastewater floods Balangir streets. Telegraph picture

Balangir, Aug. 24: The residents of Rameswarnagar in Balangir are facing problems because of lack of facilities to drain out used water from their homes. There is also a threat of street water entering their homes.

They have knocked on all possible doors, from the district collector and the municipal authority to the MP, Kalikesh Narayan Singhdeo.

Sources said that last year, the municipality had taken up construction of a road in the locality. At that time, the residents had demanded construction of road and drains simultaneously. The chairman of the municipality had promised them that drains would be constructed soon.

“We had objected when the municipality decided to construct the road only. We demanded construction of drains alongside the road. The chairman of the municipality had promised she would soon take steps to construct the drains. So, we allowed construction of the road. But after a year there is no sign of drains. We have approached the district collector, tehsildar, municipal chairman and even the MP of Balangir. But no one is paying heed to our demand,” said Sabita Dash, a homemaker.

“As there is no drain, the water from our houses goes directly to the street causing inconvenience to the residents of the area. During monsoon, the rainwater mixes with the street water and enters homes. Delay in the construction of the drains has triggered an unhygienic state in the locality,” said Manoj Mishra, a local resident.

“As for the demand for drains in the area, a proposal has to be passed in the municipal council for construction of the drain. It has not yet been passed. Any kind of work needs consent from the council. I hope it will be passed in the forthcoming council meeting and we will be able take up construction of the drain,” said executive officer of Balangir municipality Srikanta Das .