Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to act against encroachments along 10 major natural drains in the city and take the residents living along the drains into confidence for their revival.
The municipal body, at a meeting Wednesday, discussed the drainage and other related issues and asked the councillors of respective wards to talk to the residents near the drains. According to a rough estimate, more than 90 per cent of the structures along the drainage channels are without plan approval.
“In the meeting we had resolved that on the areas where the 10 major drains flow, surveys would be done and completed in the next two-three months. Later, we will clamp down on the unauthorised structures and encroachments strictly,” said BMC Commissioner Krishna Kumar.
Letters from the civic body as well as public notices have been issued to the dwellings that are on the flowing area, Kumar added. According to BMC, the councillors will talk to them and the land required for the free flow of drains would be vacated by the authorities. The survey which has already started will study the extent of encroachments along the major drains.
BMC believes that once the citizens apply for the sharing of land to allow BMC to develop the drainage area as per Section 288 of Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, the land owners near the drainage channels would have better infrastructure and less vulnerability to flooding in future.
Mayor Ananta Naryana Jena said in view of upcoming Men’s World Cup Hockey 2018 the road cutting deadline would be fixed soon after a coordination meeting with all stake holders so that no more inconvenience is caused to the general public.
Ration card enough for BSKY
City Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said the corporation at its Wednesday meeting had decided to make ration cards as proof to enrol in the state’s newly-announced Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). “The councillors were anxious to know about the rolling out of the scheme. We have decided that every person with a ration card should get the benefit so that the aim and objective of healthcare benefit scheme is fulfilled,” Jena added.