A commuter wades through dirty water at CDA Colony Sector 7 in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Sept. 23: Overflowing sewer channels have forced the residents of CDA Colony —the satellite township developed by Cuttack Development Authority — to stay indoors for about a fortnight now.

CDA Sector VII has been the worst sufferer of the waterlogging situation for the last fortnight as Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has not allegedly taken any step to clear the sewage accumulated on the main road there. It is creating severe inconvenience to both the local residents and other commuters.

“About 20 families at Sector VII are being forced to stay indoors as sewage continues to overflow on the main road in front of their house,” said Prasanna Patnaik, 55, a local resident. He also said the CMC’s failure to clear a blocked sewer line has worsened the problem there.

“Sewer is entering our house every time a heavy vehicle passes through the adjoining main road. We have to keep our doors and windows shut to avoid the foul smell emanating from the sewer here,” said Aparti Behera, another local resident.

The main road of CDA Sector VII also acts as a link between sectors VI, VIII and IX. Every day, hundreds of commuters depend on this road to travel towards JPM Eye Hospital, Ring Road, Chandni Chowk and other surrounding areas.

The local residents alleged that the sanitation scenario of the area worsened ever since the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) had handed over the responsibility of repairing and maintaining the local underground sewerage network to the CMC. They also alleged that the CMC was yet to upgrade the “obsolete” underground sewerage system of the CDA Colony.

“We have brought the issue to the notice of the civic officials several times. Councillor of ward No. 2 Hrusikesh Dehury did not even bother to listen to our plight when we went to him with this problem,” said Kamdev Sethi, another local resident.

Sethi added that the main sewer line of the locality was badly choked and required a thorough cleaning.

Apart from CDA Sector VII, overflowing sewer and open manholes have been major problems also in areas such as sectors VI, VIII and IX. On being contacted, local councillor Dehury admitted the blockage in the sewerage channel.

“Civic engineers have visited the spot today and steps will soon be taken for clearing the blockage. We hope the situation will improve there in a couple of days,” Dehury said.