Formulate plan for drainage issue in Bhubaneswar, Aparajita urges Naveen

Bhubaneswar: Aparajita Sarangi, Bhubaneswar MP, has written to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging the latter to formulate a comprehensive master plan for addressing the long-standing water logging and drainage problem in the city during the rainy season.

The MP mentioned in the letter that the issue was discussed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development during its recent visit to Odisha on January 17 and 18. During the discussions, it came to fore that a plan prepared by Meinhardt, Singapore in 2008 partly addresses the requirement but it lacks in terms of detailing and is inadequate as it does not factor in a lot of essential requirements including land acquisition costs.

While the aforementioned plan proposed construction of natural drains in two phases, the need for construction of all internal drains and making them part of the overall plan for effective discharge of stormwater has not been fully considered. It has also come to the notice of the Parliamentary Standing Committee that construction of 13 (3 additional) natural drains will require land acquisition and freeing up Government land from encroachments. This has not been considered while preparing the Detailed Project Report in 2008, Sarangi wrote in the letter enclosing list of existing natural stormwater drains in Bhubaneswar and 37 vulnerable locations as identified by BMC for the CM’s perusal.

In view of the impending rainy season, she urged Patnaik to issue appropriate instructions to the relevant authorities for (a) gainful utilisation of Rs 110 crore and ensuring that drainage work is taken up keeping in view the requirements of 37 vulnerable points and not spending by just distributing it ward wise, and (b) a systematic and sustainable approach towards desilting of drains and preparation of a comprehensive master plan by taking into consideration all natural/internal drains and overall cost implication thereof.