Pedestrians wade through a waterlogged lane outside Barabati stadium on Thursday. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Oct. 24: Incessant rain has exposed the civic body’s ill-preparedness to check waterlogging and maintain sanitation.

Waterlogging in several areas because of a heavy rainfall in the past 72 hours has caused resentment among city residents. The district administration has ordered schools to be closed tomorrow in view of the rain.

“Despite prior forecast, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation has failed to check waterlogging,” said Pithapur resident Nibedita Lenka.

Sutahat, Mission Road, Stewart Patna, Pithapur, Jhola Sahi, Bhagatpur, Mangalabag, Meria Bazaar and Seminary Chhak have remained waterlogged for the past two days. There was waist-deep water in front of the residence of district collector Girish S.N. at Kanika Chhak Road.

“The civic body and the Japan International Co-operation Agency’s joint effort to check waterlogging has not yet yielded any result,” said Girish. More than 188 motor pumps are deployed at several locations to pump out the water. The drainage channels can withstand about 12mm rainfall, while there has been a rainfall of more than 150mm in the past 72 hours.

The civic body also could not lift post-Dussehra and post-Phailin garbage from various places of the city. “Our sanitation measures have been affected because of the rain,” said city health officer P.K. Pradhan.

He said the corporation was supposed to collect waste from areas outside the stadium, while the Odisha Cricket Association was in charge of maintaining sanitation on the stadium premises.

Sources said the civic works had also been affected by the recent turnout of events following the alleged bungling of relief materials. As many as 29 councillors are making rounds to the vigilance department to submit various documents in connection with utilisation of relief materials. As a result, they cannot pay any attention to the plight of the people.

Though Cuttack Development Authority vice-chairman Pratap Das has been temporarily assigned the charge of the municipal commissioner, things are yet to be streamlined at the civic body.