The much-awaited Rs 4.74 crore renovation work of Sapua Nala, one of the major drains which is flowing at the outskirt of the silk city of Berhampur, has taken off.
Odisha's Education Minister Pradip Kumar Panigrahi today laid the foundation stone for the renovation of 17-km long drain at Phulta yesterday on the outskirt of the town.
The estimated cost of the renovation work of the drain was around Rs 4.74 crore under the Dranaige Improvement Plan of the state government and targeted to complete the work within one-and-half years, the minister said.
It is a long-standing demand of the people of the area for the renovation of Sapua Nala and Bahana Nala as these cause water-logging in its adjoining areas, particularly during rainy season. "With the renovation of the drains, we think the water-logging problem of the area will be solved," the Minister said.
Renovation of Bahana Nala was already started from October 2015 with an estimated cost of Rs 22.15-crore. The project is to be compeleted in next three years, sources said.
"We propose to construct gadwall in it to arrest soil erosion. Besides, the entire 17-km long structure will be renovated. With these the water-bearing capacity of the drain will be increased," said A K Patra, executive engineer, drainage division.
When the rain and drain water freely flows in the drain without overflowing, the water-logging problem in the area would be solved, he said.
People of low-lying areas in the city faced water-logging every monsoon. Rain and drain water at two to three-meter height was flowing in these areas when cyclone Phailin hit the town on October 13, 2013 and subsequent floods on October 23.
