Hundreds of Congress workers led by the party’s city president Md Moquim on Monday gheraoed the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) office and submitted a memorandum to the CMC Commissioner threatening to launch agitations soon if the residents continue to be deprived of basic civic amenities.
The Congress agitation assumed significance as most of the areas in the city are now waterlogged for past three days disrupting the normal life.
“Although nearly 200 water pumps are now pressed into operation to remove the waterlogging, the situation has not improved much,” said a resident of Sutahat, alleging that the CMC’s efforts are falling far short of resolving the crisis.
“The drains in the city are choked to their brinks, and lack of proper desiltation has multiplied the problem of the drainage system,” Moquim said, pointing out that every year huge amounts of funds are spent for this purpose.
He further stated that due to the ongoing sewerage and drainage revamp work in the city under the JICA project, the waterlogging problem has become acute.
Besides waterlogging, the city is also facing an imminent threat of dengue and other diseases as drinking water facilities are badly affected. “The water standpoints are inundated while many underground pipes are broken,” Moquim said.
He also pointed out that many roads in the city are now damaged after prolonged waterlogging and the commuters are facing untold miseries at nighttime since the street lights, particularly in the CDA areas, are not working.