Bhubaneswar: The officials and workers of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) remained alert from the midnight as the rains started intensifying. While Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena visited various affected localities, senior officials, engineers and staff also started monitoring and working on the situation in coordination with the Meteorology Department and Fire Services personnel.BMC received total of 80 complaints from its helpline numbers of storm water control room 0674-243 2281 and Bhubaneswar One helpline number 1800 345 0061 and 0674-2548295. While through the storm water control room the civic body received 37 complaints, the Bhubaneswar One helpline number received 43 complaints till the filing of the report.The BMC-Fire Services dewatering activities were completed at Gouri Garden, Gouri Nagar, Bisnupriya Apartment Jaydev Vihar, New Forest Park Colony, Paika Nagar, Pabitra Guest House Jayadev Vihar, Jayadev Vihar, Apollo Hospital Road Siva Plaza, Ghanasyam Apartment, Joysna Apartment, Mangala Mandir Nayapalli, Ekamara Cinema hall back side basti, Road II Paika Nagar, Ward Number 3, Sarada Matha Lane, BDA Colony CS Pur and Bhagabati Temple, Jaydev Vihar. Similarly, the dewatering activity was continuing at Naka Gate, Rout Sahi CS Pur, two places in GGP Colony, two places in Bhima Tangi, Anand Plaza Laxmisagar, Chakeisiani Mangala Temple, Hanspal Bhoi Sahi, Malihota Pokhari Laxmi Sagar, Sriram City and Nayapalli near Ward No-37 even after afternoon today.The dewatering activity was efficiently controlled by BMC-Odisha Fire Services through a dedicated WhatsApp Group, which was having BMC officials and Odisha Fire Services personnel as members. The message received from BMC storm water control room and Bhubaneswar One helpline numbers were forwarded to the group, resulting in a quick and faster redressal of the issue.The BMC officials along with the Mayor visited areas like Gouri Garden, ISKCON area, Sashtri Nagar, Nayapalli Behera Sahi, Bairagi Nagar, Mallick Complex, Siddhi Vihar, Laxmisagar Canal Road and Paika Nagar after midnight.The TEAM BMC included 22 engineers, 13 nodal (senior officers) with teams , 67 ward officers, City Health Officer, two Assistant Health Officers and 13 sanitary inspectors, 1,200 sweeping staff of BMC and sanitation agencies, 30 community organisers and six ward supervisors. Three pumps, five cesspool vehicles, three JCBs and two proclaim machines were deployed by BMC.According to Met Office in Bhubaneswar the rainfall between 8.30 am yesterday and 8.30 mm today was 173.2 mm. Today between 8.30 am to 11.30 am the rainfall was 3.5 mm. So the effective rainfall in last 27 hours across the State Capital was nearly 180 mm. However, though the situation was difficult, BMC with all its efforts was on the field to help people with dewatering activities along with Odisha Fire Services personnel.It can be noted here that on July 21 last, the city recorded an unprecedented 220-mm rainfall in less than 18 hours. However, BMC with quick action helped the citizens with great efficiency. Major Joint eviction drives in the recent past ensuring better drainage in the city by BMC-BDA include the following.• Nayapalli ISKCON contributing to major drain no. 10• Nayapalli IRC Square contributing to major drain no. 10• Boundary wall demolition in Sampur along major drain no. 9• Nayapalli Behera Sahi contributing to major drain no. 10• Nayapalli Bhoi Sahi contributing to major drain no. 10• Nayapalli Haza contributing to major drain no. 10• Acharya Vihar Science Park Basti along major drain no 4• Munda Sahi-Salia Sahi along major drain. 4• Eviction along major drain no, 5, Kharvel Nagar• Eviction Drive in New Forest Park Colony along major drain no. 7C&D Waste & Administrative ChargesThe BMC authorities have collected a fine of more than Rs 1 lakh as administrative charges and fine over dumping the construction and demolition (C&D) wastes at various places across the city during last two weeks. The fine collection as administrative charges has also worked as a major sensitising tool for people not to dump materials inside and along the drains and roads and help controlling urban flooding.ODA Court issues 7 Stop Construction NoticesThe Odisha Development Authority (ODA) Act Court at BMC has so far issued seven stop construction notices to persons at various places across the city for blocking or affecting the flow of storm water drain or rain water. The persons, against whom the notices were slapped, include: Somanath Mohanty (Goutam Nagar), Suraj Kumar Patra (Goutam Nagar), Braja Kishore Sahoo (Baramunda), Banambar Jena (Jaydev Vihar), Hemant Patel (Nayapalli), Mihir Ranjan Rath (Jaydev Vihar) and Ranjan Pattanayak (Baramunda).It can be mentioned here that both BMC and BDA have announced a ‘’Zero Tolerance Policy’’ towards encroachment and construction over drains and drainage channel, which has invited a bad reputation for the beautiful city with water logging and urban flooding.
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