The Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been allegedly disposing solid waste into the Champa river, posing a threat to its ecology.

Earlier, the civic body had come under the scanner for dumping garbage into the Ganga riverbed.

Champa, a tributary of the Ganga has its reference in old texts, which say Bhagalpur, earlier known as Chamapur (the ancient kingdom of Anga Pradesh), derived its name from this river.

The river still has its religious significance in Nathnagar where people conduct religious rituals beside the river.

"The dumping of garbage has reduced the width of the river. Many old rivers and streams in this region have vanished from the map owing to haphazard sand mining. If filth dumping is not stopped immediately, this ancient river would meet the same fate," said Rajendra Prasad Singh, a social worker and environmentalist at Nathnagar.

"We experience a pungent smell in the entire area, particularly while moving on Champanagar bridge on NH-82," said Manjesh Singh, a resident of Bhabnathpur.

Many fishermen, who earlier depended on the river for their livelihood, said in the recent past, the situation has changed and fishes have started dying.

Faruque Ali, a senior botany teacher at TNB College, said: "The garbage has poisoned the water. Besides, the garbage also flows into the Ganga through this river."

Kakuli Benerjee, councillor of ward No. 1 (Champanagar Bengali Tola), said she and residents from her ward oppose such acts of the BMC.

"We managed to stop dumping of garbage into the Champa river bank in my territory but the civic body started dumping filth near Champanagar bridge across the river which falls under ward No. 4 (Baishbigghi)," she said. The councillor of ward No. 4, Mithu Devi, was not available for comment.

Residents, too, complained about the rise of mosquitoes and flies in the locality. Many also apprehend the outbreak of any epidemic soon.

The BMC, which has 51 wards under its jurisdiction collects around 300 tonnes of garbage daily and disposes it at places such as Champa riverbank, the NH-82 at Nathnagar and others.

BMC town commissioner Avinash Singh and mayor Dipak Kumar Bhubania were not available for comment.

Preety Shekhar, deputy mayor, BMC, said earlier on the request of residents, dumping was started to fill ditches on the riverbank for making it convenient for people to conduct rituals.

"Many people conduct rituals there and erosion during floods make the riverbanks dangerous. But residents, who once had taken the initiative, are now opposing it," the deputy mayor said.

She further said: "We have asked the people concerned not to dump garbage into the river."

A source at BMC said since the corporation doesn't have a dumping yard, it has no option but to deposit the garbage at such places.

"We recently selected a place for our dumping yard at Tarcha village under the jurisdiction of Gorodih police station. But owing to some technical problem pointed out by residents, we have not started work," said the civic employee.

The employee also admitted that Hyderabad-based NGO Ramky, which was assigned for handling the solid waste management of the BMC, left the work in 2013 mainly owing to unavailability of a proper dumping site.