Bhubaneswar: The Urban Development department has introduced several measures to improve sewerage system in the Capital city.
The department has engaged a few private agencies to clean up and maintain sewerage lines and chambers in the city. Apart from that, the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) has been told to supervise the maintenance of sewerage system.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of OWSSB and Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO) officials in Bhubaneswar April 16.
According to sources, all the 67 wards of the Capital city have been divided into six zones for proper maintenance of sewerage system.
Localities like Rasulgarh, Sahid Nagar, Satyanagar, Jharpada, Acharya Vihar and Jaydev Vihar have been placed under zone 1. Similarly, areas like BJB Nagar, Kalpana Square, Ravi Talkies and Airport have been kept under zone 2.
Baramunda, Jagamara, Pokhariput, Kalinganagar and Kalinga Hospital areas have been included in zone 3 for effective management of sewerage system.
Places like Paikarapur, Andharua, Ghatikia and several other rural areas have been included in the zone 4 and 5.
However, posh localities like IRC Village, Chandrasekharpur, Kanan vihar and Niladri vihar have been placed under zone 6 for the sewerage management plan. “Many rural areas have been placed under zone 4 and 5. These areas are yet to get proper sewerage system. The Urban Development department has engaged four private agencies to improve sewerage system in the remaining four zones,” said (OWSSB) project engineer Bharat Charan Dalei.
According to Dalei, each private agency would be paid Rs 1.83 crore for the improvement and maintenance of sewerage system for a time period of six months.
“The private agencies would clean up sewerage lines and chambers. They would repair the facility and lay new sewerage lines. Four assistant engineers of the OWSSB would inspect the maintenance work. People can place their grievances at the PHEO office. They can also contact officials of the private agencies over phone,” Dalei said.
It is learnt that the Urban Development department would withhold the monetary payment to the private agencies if they fail to improve the sewerage system and address people’s grievances.