The Department of Housing and Urban Development has asked all urban local bodies (ULBs) to prepare an action plan for management of flood and waterlogging in the urban areas during upcoming monsoon season. Director Municipal Administration Sangramjit Nayak has directed all Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers of Municipalities/ NACs to follow certain recommendations while preparing the action plan so as to prevent and manage waterlogging /flood like situation. Nayak asked to make inspection of all drains/ manholes and repair or replace drain cover to prevent accidents.
In case of closed drains and machine holes, it is required to check the cover and see whether those have been damaged and there is any chance of an accident, Nayak said. The Municipal Commissioner and Collectors were asked to take immediate steps to repair and cover the holes. In case, it is not possible to repair the same, it was directed to put appropriate signage to caution people so that accidents can be avoided.
Like previous years, the ULBs have to take up joint verification with respective drainage division/ MI division of Water Resources Department to ensure desilting and repair of all clogged/choked drain channels before the onset of monsoon. The officials were also asked to identify vulnerable water logging areas/low lying areas and take appropriate steps for discharge of water expeditiously at the time of emergency by prepositioning pump sets.
“Wherever there is encroachment of drain channels which causes obstruction to the free flow of either storm water, rain water or waste water, the same should be demolished forthwith and channels are to be kept obstruction free,” he said.
Legal action, wherever required is to be initiated against the defaulting person or institution in order to prevent them from further encroachment, the DMA told the officers.
It is seen that a large volume of construction and demolition materials are being piled up inside the drains and on the road side which run away through rain water causing drain congestion. Therefore, the DMA directed to take out silting materials from the drains immediately to prevent them from re-entering drains. Rampant use of polythene in urban areas is a major cause for drain channel clogging leading to water logging in adjacent low-lying areas. The DMA asked to monitor the same. The DMA further ordered to strengthen enforcement of polythene ban.
For control of vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis, besides water borne diseases like diarrhoea and jaundice, Nayak asked the Collectors to ensure there is no water logging in habitation areas. All ULBs are requested for formation of Unified Command and Control Centre headed by the Commissioner/EO with members from other line departments/agencies including Fire Services to manage the flood like situation within their jurisdiction, he stated.