CMC’s drain cleaning work draws flak
Surjit Kumar Dhal,Cuttack, June 17: The drain cleaning process of Cuttack Municipal Corporation has drawn criticism from different sections of people in the Millennium city.
As the drains are not cleaned properly, most part of the city gets water locked with a few showers and denizens suffer badly.
Besides, making inordinate delay in starting drain de-silting work, the CMC is executing the drain cleaning work without proper planning and coordination for which the works are not yielding desired results, the citizens allege.
Notably, the oldest city had witnessed worst ever water-logging problem in 2007 with its most parts remaining submerged for two days. Taking note of the matter, the Orissa high court had directed CMC to complete desilting and maintenance work of drains by May 31, but the civic body never manages to complete the work in time.
“The de-silting work should ideally start in April. But CMC always delays and starts it in May. Then how can it be possible to complete within the scheduled time without providing additional manpower to make up work for the delayed time?,” said Congress Corporator Giribala Behera.
Residents on the other hand have alleged that due to lack of proper planning, coordination and also the foresight, the CMC’s drain cleaning process is all ways getting flopped.
“The silt removed from drains are being dumped closer to drains for days together which again finds its way back to the drains after every shower, said Prasant Samal of Sutahat.
It seems the CMC pockets are full of holes, he criticized.
Despite avowed claim to shift the silt removed from the drains immediately, the CMC authorities are turning deaf ear. The silts dumped on roads are creating a filthy and unhygienic surrounding thereby emanating foul smell beside making inconvenience for the locals in respect of communication.
If steps are taken to shift the dumped silt immediately from the drain side, then the drains can be saved from silt-refilling threat, opined the local intellectuals.
