Plastic Collector Swept Away in Bhubaneswar Drain, Civic Negligence Blamed
Bhubaneswar: A tragic incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon when Anil Singh (35), a plastic bottle collector, was swept away in Drain No. 4 near Utkal University during heavy monsoon rains.
Witnesses reported that Singh slipped while working and was carried away by the strong current.
Emergency teams from Sahid Nagar police, Fire Services, ODRAF, and BMC launched a search operation but were forced to suspend efforts due to poor visibility.
The search will resume on Sunday.
Mayor Sulochana Das and BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana visited the site, acknowledging civic lapses.
This marks at least the fourth such death in Bhubaneswar’s open drains, raising serious questions about drainage management.
Despite deadlines, BMC admitted that only 80% of drains were cleaned before the monsoon.
Residents and activists are demanding accountability from the Drainage Department and cleaning agencies, citing repeated preventable tragedies.
Singh’s family and residents of Patharabandha Basti await updates, while the incident highlights both livelihood struggles and civic negligence in Odisha’s capital.
