Puri: Remaining under water due to ‘man-made flooding’ for over a month, the residents of Matitota and Sujat Nagar localities in Puri can now hope for a change in the situation.
The plight of the residents, who were forced to depend on improvised floaters including tyre tubes to cross the flooded localities, is likely to ease now as the Puri civic body has geared up to dewater the area.
It is for the first time that senior officials of the civic body took stock of the situation by conducting an on-the-spot visit.
The civic body woke up from its slumber after OTV telecast reports regarding the problems faced by the people due to waterlogging in both the localities.
Surprisingly, both Matitota and Sujat Nagar localities were waterlogged for nearly two months since heavy rains battered the district after Rath Yatra in July.
Motor pumps have been pressed into service while a power boat has been deployed at the spot for the people.
“Most of the people here are suffering from cold, fever and other skin diseases due to unhygienic conditions and overflowing of drains and accumulation of rain water for the last one and a half months,” said a local resident.
Local residents further alleged that it was really unfortunate that the administration had turned a blind eye to such problems despite repeated complaints.
“We are thankful to OTV as the authorities visited the spot and assured to take immediate steps to resolve the issues,” said another local resident.