Bhubaneswar: The Government of Odisha in the Department of Housing & Urban Development has unveiled a comprehensive Urban Flood and Waterlogging Management Action Plan for all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the State, in anticipation of an above-normal southwest monsoon from June to September 2025.
Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister for Housing & Urban Development, underscored the initiative’s philosophy, stating, “Proactive planning and community participation are the cornerstones of our strategy. Our goal is to ensure that urban areas remain resilient, safe, and prepared for the challenges of an intense monsoon.”
This proactive initiative aims to safeguard public health, critical infrastructure, and urban livelihoods through a multi-faceted approach encompassing preventive, preparatory, and responsive measures.
Key elements of the action plan include:
- Drainage Preparedness: A rigorous focus on 100% inspection, desilting, and repair of all drains and manholes within ULBs to ensure unimpeded stormwater flow. This also involves repairing damaged covers and swiftly removing encroachments that obstruct drainage channels.
- Solid Waste Management: To prevent blockages during peak rainfall, bar screens and wire meshes will be installed in tertiary drains to filter out solid waste. Local personnel will be deployed for continuous monitoring and waste removal.
- Restoration Readiness: Rapid clearance of roads blocked by fallen trees or debris post-cyclone, with a target of 72-hour road restoration. Drinking water services, managed by WATCO and PHEO, will be immediately restored in coordination with ULBs.
- Flood-Prone Area Mitigation: Identification of waterlogging hotspots will lead to the pre-deployment of pump sets and emergency equipment. Zone-level officers will be appointed to facilitate real-time emergency response.
- Shelter Preparedness: Existing Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters (MCS/MFS) and public buildings are being readied as emergency shelters. Comprehensive checks on structural safety, water, sanitation, food supply, and security – particularly for women and vulnerable populations – are being ensured.
- Disease Prevention: Collaborative efforts with Health and Sanitation departments will focus on vector and water-borne disease control through larvicide application, fogging, and public sanitation drives.
- Control Room Activation: All ULBs will activate 24/7 monsoon-specific Control Rooms throughout the season to promptly address public grievances related to waterlogging, blocked roads, and water supply disruptions.
- Community Involvement: Elected representatives, ward committees, local volunteers, and Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) will be actively engaged in local-level preparedness and response activities.
An important inter-departmental coordination meeting, involving Fire Services, Drainage Division, Minor Irrigation, and other stakeholders, is scheduled before the first week of June 2025 to streamline efforts and ensure resource readiness.
The State Government urges all citizens to cooperate with local authorities, adhere to safety advisories, and report any emergency issues promptly to the designated ULB Control Rooms.