The clogged drains in Jharsuguda town have been filled with water due to continuous rain in the last two-three days and the water could overflow anytime and enter the residential houses in the low lying areas.
Notably, this year due to implementation of Election Code of Conduct, tender process could not be initiated by the municipality to clear drains before the onset of rainy season.
However, the municipality had initiated cleaning operation with their own staff members some days ago. But due to sudden rain, the process has been affected, said the Municipality Sanitary Inspector. Besides, the problem has been aggravated due to encroachment of the main road and drains at various points, the official added.
This has happened due to lack of public consciousness about the matter. Use of polythene in the township has become a great obstacle now-a-days. The drain water is not getting free outlet due to these polythene blocking drains. Many steps taken by the Government to ban polythene use has not given any positive result so far.
The municipality authority also had taken steps to put two dust bins at various places to separate the waste products. But this scheme also was not found effective. The common people throw garbage in the drains.
Some days back, the municipality started to provide two dust bins to each household. Arrangements were made to put solid and wet garbage separately in these two dust bins. Industrial houses like Vedanta, IOCL and Ultra-Tech cement also came forward to give their support to the scheme but all in vain.
When asked, Executive Officer of the Jharsuguda Municipality Ram Chandra Pradhan said the drains would be cleared shortly as sanitation workers have been deployed to clear the choked drains.