Waterlogging returns to haunt
Bhubaneswar/ Cuttack /Puri: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri experienced heavy rain in the past 24 hours leading to waterlogging and power outages. Several educational institutes were closed and normal life was thrown out of gear.
The capital city recorded 102 mm of rain between Monday midnight and Tuesday evening.
The district administrations of Khurda and Cuttack had ordered closure of all educational institutions Tuesday due to the rain and the nationwide transport strike.
Due to the heavy rain in the state and the transport strike all examinations scheduled for August 7 were postponed. The new dates will be notified later.
The areas worst affected by rain in the capital were Bomikhal, Vani Vihar, Iskon Temple area, Acharya Vihar and Jaydev Vihar. Parts of Old Town were also under knee-deep water.
Adding to the woes in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack were potholes and very poor road conditions. Some areas like Kazi Bazaar, Mahidas Bazaar, Robot Street, Mehendipur, Haripur, Alamchand Bazaar and Khatbin Sahi in Cuttack were flooded.
Many hotels in Cuttack were seen filled with water due to the poor sewage system and continuous rainfall. Several areas in Puri, including Bada Danda, were affected by waterlogging with local residents saying this is common during the rains.
More rain is likely to lash Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh districts in the next 24 hours, the Regional Meteorological Department said.
Rain is also likely to lash northern, coastal and southern parts of Odisha in the next 24 hours, the department warned.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Ward No 37 Corporator Naba Kishor Behera said, “There are many reasons for waterlogging even after a little rain. We are encroaching on drains to build houses and where there are drains, parts of it are blocked by garbage.”
A resident, Sasmita Patra, said, “In the last two-three years we have been facing waterlogging and the administration has not done anything. We have to help ourselves to remove water from our homes”.
“We request the administration to find a permanent solution to this problem,” Ranjan Pattnaik, another resident said.
Padma Mishra, a resident of Rasulgarh, said the twin problems of transport strike and rain had made life hell. My children missed school and water entering our homes made life miserable.
Mandakini Jena, a student, said she had an important exam in college but due to the heavy rain it had to be postponed. I was confident of doing well in the exam.
Truant transport compounds woes
Bhubaneswar: The 24-hour nationwide strike called by transport unions received huge support from the All Odisha Transport Workers’ Federation (AOTWF), leading to cancellation of all transport services including buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws and heavy vehicles since 6 am, Tuesday.
Commuters dependant on public transport faced a torrid time as they found themselves caught between pouring rain and the transport strike making them virtually immobile.
Transport workers stopping vehicles were a common sight across the city despite the presence of police personnel, who were deployed for the maintenance of law and order. However, some protesters were arrested.
According to reports, transportation of goods and essential commodities was disrupted due to the strike.
Large crowds of people milled around at places like Master Canteen and Baramunda bus stand, hopelessly stranded in the twin strike by man and nature. However, ambulances, milk vans, school and college buses were exempted from the purview of the strike.
Lalita Pradhan, from Jharsuguda, said she had come here to visit her sister. However, due to the strike, she was unable to reach her place. Jatin Panda, from Bapuji Nagar, said he was dependant on the city bus service, but could not go to office as the buses did not ply.
The strike has been called by All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation and different trade unions, including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), to protest against the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 1988, that was cleared by the Lok Sabha recently. While the All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation and other trade unions are observing a 24-hour strike, the AOTWF has decided to observe the strike in Odisha for 12 hours.
“We demand immediate withdrawal of the decision to bring amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. If the amendment bill comes into force, the vehicle owners, drivers and the insurance companies will incur serious losses. The bill is anti-people and anti-employees as it says that branded company spares are to be used and this would affect the small scale enterprises in automobile manufacturing sector,” a member of AOTWF said.
Tourists had a tough time as buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis were off the road in the Holy City of Puri. Hundreds of tourists were seen stranded at the city railway station and bus stand Tuesday.
Hundreds of auto-rickshaw and taxi operators staged a road blockade at Saradhabali to protest the Motor Vehicle Act amendment Bill of the Centre.
Trade union leader Srikanta Parija claimed that the Bill was anti-worker and many labourers will lose their livelihood if is passed in the Parliament.
