Akankshya Mahapatra 
The State government is considering bringing Gangua nullah under the control of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to speed up cleaning and increase carrying capacity to allow the city’s rainwater to drain easily.
BMC currently manages 625 km of internal drains and major stormwater drainage channels. As the stormwater drainage channels connect to Gangua, the nullah needs to be cleaned and cleared for smooth stormwater flow, said Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das.
The government has proposed that the Nullah, which is currently under the administrative control of the Department of Water Resources, be turned over to the BMC for cleaning and maintenance. However, it is still at the proposal stage and the process of cleaning it will begin once the Nullah comes under BMC’s purview and funds are allocated for the purpose, she said.
Gangua nullah originates from the Chandaka forest and has a total length of about 45 km. It flows from the western highlands to the southeast side of the city before emptying into the Daya River. However, after about 13 km of traversal, the Nullah takes the form of a sewer, mainly due to the sewage it receives from the city through drains at various points.
