Berhampur: Normal life was thrown out of gear and several areas were flooded due to the intense spells of rain under the influence of ‘Cyclone Michaung’ in Berhampur of Odisha’s Ganjam district on Wednesday.
The rainwater entered Mahamayee College, several schools and houses in the city and the roads were submerged at different places paralysing the traffic movement.
A renowned orthopaedic of the city Dr Ranganathan and his family escaped unhurt when an auto-rickshaw in which they were travelling entered an under-construct drain in Prem Nagar. The road was waterlogged and the driver was forced to turn left when a bike came in front of the vehicle. Locals alleged that the drain work has been continuing for many years.
Due to clogged drains, low lying areas were flooded with water from roads and drains entering the houses. The residents alleged that drains were choked as the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) is yet to initiate the desilting process. The waterlogging remains a persistent problem despite several complaints to the civic authorities in this regard, they added.
On the other hand, the BeMC had claimed that it was prepared for any waterlogging problem even before the monsoon. It had prepared a Rs 42-crore plan, including Rs 34.33 crore for civil constructions and Rs 7.59 crore for acquisition of private land for solving the waterlogging problem in some pockets of the city four years back.
It had also submitted the proposals for 23 projects to the government for the purpose. But the things have failed to improve as was evident from the situation on the day.
