In the name of an ambitious drainage and sewerage project, which is hanging fire for last seven years, the district and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) authorities have pushed the residents of Cuttack city into misery, allege the affected people who are finding it extremely difficult to lead a normal life for last five days as these areas are waterlogged due to heavy rains.
While a large number of inhabitants have moved to nearby safer places, a few of them are settling in upper floors of their houses vacating the ground floors, which are inundated ever since the rains lashed the city last Monday.
Areas like Sutahat, Pension lane, Pattapola, Kesharpur, Gamhadia, Stuartpatna, Tulasipur, Kathagadasahi, Kalibazar, Rover’s Street, Budhi Thakurani, Kalyan Nagar, Andarpur, Durkhapatna and Mahanadi Vihar are completely waterlogged making it difficult for the people to venture out and fetch the bare necessities from market. Since cooking food under these situations is nearly impossible, many are starving for long or managing with frugal stuffs.
While the CMC is totally defunct now after the sordid affair of relief loot, in which many ruling BJD corporators and CMC officials are entangled, the affected people see no hope for the water to recede from their areas soon. Instead of desilting the drains at appropriate time, the city Mayor on Saturday said at least 200 pumps are engaged to clear waterlogging, which seems to be very preposterous looking at the extent of the deluge.
“At these hours of crisis, neither the district nor the civic body authorities are seen anywhere near the affected people, who are struggling to meet the two ends meet in extreme hardship,” said city Congress chief Md Moquim, expressing concern that if the situation doesn’t improve in next two to three days, waterborne diseases would break out in an epidemic form.
Stung by the relief loot slur and the fear of a backlash, elected representatives are avoiding to visit the affected areas. “Forget about cooked food, even the dry foods as relief materials are eluding hundreds of affected people, who are eagerly awaiting Government help,” Moquim said.
Congress workers, under the leadership of Moquim, on Saturday visited half of the affected areas and distributed chuda, gur, bread, biscuits and baby food to the needy people, said a Press release issued by the party. It was also informed that Congress workers would continue distribution of relief materials in other parts of the city on Sunday.