CUTTACK: The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) approved the Cuttack City Disaster Management Plan, 2019 on February 13, 2019 to address the problem of urban flooding in Cuttack. The plan was made after an order by the Odisha government.
Prabodh Rout, District emergency officer said that the Cuttak City Disaster Management Plan, 2019 had a three-pronged strategy to tackle floods including construction of underground drains, setting up of electricity-operated pumping stations in areas which are most vulnerable to waterlogging and reorganising relief operations in areas marooned by excessive rain and waterlogging.
Three underground drains will be constructed to serve as channels for drainage of rainwater. Electricity-operated pumping stations will be set up in 50 locations. The District Mineral Fund would bear the expenditure, said Rout. According to the plan, two of the three proposed underground channels will be connected to the Mahanadi and the third channel will be linked to the Kathajodi.
One underground channel is planned from Kanika Chak to the Mahanadi. It will carry rainwater from Srivihar Colony, Stuartpatna, Sidheswar Sahi and Tulsipur. The second drain is planned from behind the Samaj office to the Mahanadi and it will carry the water of Pattapol, Khatbin Sahi, Rovers Street and Kazi Bazar. The third underground channel is planned near the Syed Seminary Chakh to the Kathajodi, and it will drain the Gamandia, Samanta Sahi, Rausapatna, Pithapur, Jhola Sahi and Bengali Sahi areas.
234 locations in the city are identified as vulnerable to waterlogging and the 50 most vulnerable have been identified for the electricity-operated permanent pumping stations. The construction work for both projects will be carried out under the supervision of engineers of the Odisha Water Supply & Sewerage Board, said official sources.