Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Thursday cancelled its the Muharram holiday for its staffers in wake of India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall (100 to 150 mm) in and around Khurda and BMC area.
As per the IMD prediction, a depression over West-Central and adjoining East-Central Bay of Bengal is likely to be intensified into a cyclonic storm causing rainfall across western, north-western and southern Odisha.
The civic body has so far cancelled four public holidays since July this year, including September 21, to tackle fight water-logging situation in the city and manage the multi agency control room in BMC.
The multi agency control room has started its operation at BMC from August 13 for better coordination and control of urban flooding and dewatering of waterlogged areas as the operations to rescue affected areas needed coordinated efforts from all line departments operating across the city.
BMC deputy commissioner (public relations and communication) Srimanta Mishra said, “Five complaints were received through online and storm water control room while four online complaints were received through the Bhubaneswar Operations Centre and the storm water control room received one complaint.”
While citizens are encouraged to file online complaints through 1800-3450061, toll free, the storm water control room in BMC received complaint on 0674-2432281. Thursday, the multi agency 24X7 control room, which started at 6 am, had people from other line departments, BMC drainage division and BMC administrative staff.
Thirteen teams across 13 sub-zones were deployed to monitor the situation across the city in 67 wards. Team BMC’s 40 engineers were on high alert to manage any kind of situation due to high rainfall. Around seven fire services pumps were deployed at six locations.
Similarly, six BMC pumps were deployed at six locations.
