Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jun 16:

Thanks to the apathy of the Odisha government and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), the famed 9th-century Boitala temple in the temple city is all set to be waterlogged again this year.

boitala temple

The temple, which marks a deviation from traditional Kalinga style of architecture and instead combines Dravidian architecture with Kalinga flair, has long been a tourist attraction. However, that has not been enough to encourage the authorities to come up with a permanent drainage solution to address its water logging problem.

“Every year, pump sets are used to drain out rainwater from the temple premises. But this year, the problem seems even more complex. With heaps of waste dumped near the periphery of the temple and choked drains all around, I suspect the pump sets won’t be very effective in draining out the water,” said servitor Sarat Panda.

Dumped waste is another issue with the area in general and the temple area in particular. BMC usually forgets to pick up waste from the vicinity. The once in a blue moon service they offer is just not enough to address the concern. The water logging and the stink creates a very bad impression on the tourists and drives away many, said a local.