The mayor of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), Rama Khalkho, is waiting for flood waters to recede across the capital city before she fires her action plan.

However, residents heaved a sigh of relief as Ranchi and its surroundings remained mostly dry, except for a slight drizzle during the day.

A Met office communiqué pointed out that the depression over Jharkhand has weakened and created a low-pressure over eastern Uttar Pradesh and the adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh at 8.30am today.

However, it cautioned that heavy rains in isolated places in the state are likely in the next 24 hours.

Though Ranchi remained mostly dry, Khalkho’s task has become difficult after RMC chief executive officer Vinay Kumar Choubey relinquished his charge on May 29, following his transfer to Hazaribagh as the deputy commissioner of the district.

The CEO was on a holiday when his transfer orders were issued by the state government on May 22. Choubey returned to Ranchi and handed over charge to his deputy on May 29. Since then, the RMC has remained without a leader.

“All funds earmarked for improving the city’s drainage systems lie blocked due to the absence of a chief executive officer (CEO) at RMC. There are sufficient funds, though due to the technicalities involved we are unable to operate them. We have already taken up the matter with the state government to ensure that a CEO is posted immediately at the corporation to ensure normality of municipal operations,” Khalkho told The Telegraph.

Khalkho conceded that pressure from respective councillors of the 55 wards and the flood of complaints from hundreds of residents about the construction of new drains in Ranchi can only be taken up once the monsoon recedes and the dry spell returns.

Clearing drains was the all important order sent by the mayor to the RMC deputy CEO Mukesh Verma and health officer Rekha Rani Singh after an emergency meeting with the RMC standing committee today.

With many residential areas still under water particularly at Madhukam in Ratu Road, Kanta Toli and Lohra Kocha off Hazaribagh Road, the mayor led a team of RMC officers and staff members to commence emergency operations.

She pointed out that in all-crisis prone areas at Madhukam, Kanta Toli, Lohra Kocha, all low-lying areas, residential houses were far below the road-level and still waterlogged.

Since no new constructions are possible till the monsoons recede, flow of water from higher lands to low-lying areas cannot be prevented.

“The RMC staff would maintain a continuous vigil over the city’s drainage system. Particular emphasis has been given to the low-lying areas of Madhukam, Lohra Kocha and Kanta Toli, which were completely flooded over the past 24 hours,” the mayor said.

According to the arrangement made by the RMC staff, all drains would be unblocked.

Additional problems have been cropping up from private quarters. The mayor alleged that a private school in the Doranda area of the city had made holes in its boundary walls to let out rising water within the campus.

This has resulted in excessive water around its neighbouring areas.

Instructions have been issued to the school management to mend the walls.

A general instruction has also been issued to all residents to ensure that their residential houses and business premises were properly linked to the main sewerage systems.

She added that free cholera and diarrhea medicines would be distributed through the ward councillors.

Meanwhile, Ranchi Municipal Corporation health officer, Rekha Rani Singh said that they were waiting for the flood waters to recede so that they can start spraying bleaching powder to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.