Sambalpur, April 17: Encroachment has choked a major drain in the city and residents blame the administration for not doing enough to evict the encroachers.

Although the district administration had decided to evict encroachments along Dhobijor Nullah, a major drain in the city, to ensure smooth flow of the drain water, no concrete action has been taken so far.

Both rainwater and drain water of the city are released into the Mahanadi through this drain. But encroachments have choked it. It has slush and silt at several places. With the drain blocked, city dwellers face flood-like situations during monsoon.

The irrigation department has recently taken up the work of removing slush and silt from the drain. But the encroachments are yet to be evicted.

Former collector of Sambalpur P.K. Rath had visited several places along Dhobijor Nullah and directed sub-collector and tehsildar of Sambalpur to evict the encroachments along the drain within seven days from April 4, 2013. But though the deadline has passed, no progress has been made.

The nullah, which carries the sewage of the city, flows through Beheramunda, Danipali, Cheruapara, Housing Board Colony, Modipara, Golebazaar, Hirakud Colony and finally flows into the Mahanadi at Binakhandi.

The drain bifurcates at Tamlapara and one of its branches flows into the Mahanadi at Balibandha.

Local resident Janmajaya Pruseth said: “Encroachment of government land is common in Sambalpur. Even the drains of the city are not spared. The district administration may have decided to evict the encroachment, but it is yet to take action. And the silence of the administration is indirectly encouraging the encroachers.”

Another local resident, Gopinath Pradhan, said: “The district administration should take steps to evict encroachments along the drain as soon as possible. The eviction will facilitate de-siltation of the nullah, which is being carried out by the irrigation department. Moreover, the water will also flow more smoothly, which will reduce the possibility of floods during monsoon.”