Bhubaneswar: Taking serious note of accidents in drains during monsoon, housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Tuesday asked urban local bodies, including Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), to chalk out strategies, identify vulnerable areas, and ensure the repair and reconstruction of drains.After reviewing preparations ahead of the monsoon to check waterlogging in Bhubaneswar, the minister spoke to 115 urban bodies. Mahapatra emphasised the govt’s dedication to preventing waterlogging in the capital city.The inspection in Bhubaneswar covered critical areas, including the Iskcon Temple vicinity near Krishna Tower, Kalinga Studio Square adjacent to Ayurvedic Hospital, Rajiv Nagar, and multiple drainage channels in Bhoi Nagar, Bomikhal, and near a prominent mall.During the inspection, the minister identified concerning blockages and delays in drain cleaning operations. He immediately ordered the deployment of additional workforce and equipment to expedite desilting work on a priority basis.“The safety and convenience of citizens during the monsoon is non-negotiable,” Mahapatra emphasised, warning of strict action against any negligence leading to waterlogging or public inconvenience.In June last year, a six-year-old boy died after being swept away by drain water at an opening. In Sept 2021, fire personnel fished out the body of a 15-year-old tuition-going boy, who was swept away by stormwater. In 2022, a sanitary worker died after falling into an open drain, and a four-year-old boy was swept away by stormwater in a drainage channel.Officials said the city’s natural drainage channels pass through residential areas and slum localities. At several places, the drains either begin or end. In those cases, the drain mouths face residential areas. Rainwater that flows from the secondary drains meets the natural drainage channels near their mouth, thus causing a huge current of flowing water, officials said.Following the field visit, the minister chaired a virtual meeting with representatives from all 115 ULBs across the state to assess overall monsoon preparedness. The meeting addressed key areas, including sanitation, drainage maintenance, revenue generation and holding tax collection.In Bhubaneswar, while the drainage division handles 10 natural drainage channels along with drains of 10 wards, private agencies hired by BMC look after drains of the remaining 57 wards. BMC has an altogether 320-km length of internal drains (drains in wards and along sub-arteries).