Workers of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) were on Sunday reportedly working at multiple locations to desilt drains which cut through some of the city’s main thoroughfare roads. Desilting of the cross drains is crucial in the drainage network as it ensures the flow of storm water into the river and prevents flooding in the city. This work should have been carried out before the onset of the monsoon. But now we are in the second week of July. Heavy rains in the past few days triggered severe flooding at several places across the state. This led to water-logging on the roads and even water entering the houses in low-lying areas. In Paroda, Salcete the heavy showers led to nearly 200 houses besieged by water and over 500 residents trapped indoors. It is learnt that following the flooding in Paroda, Quepem, the South Goa District Collector has directed the immediate cleaning and desilting of all drains, culverts and cross drains along the roads to prevent water-logging. It must be said that cleaning of drains needs to be completed well before the onset of the monsoon showers.
