Cuttack, Aug. 9: The revenue divisional commissioner (central) has imposed a ban on selling portions of “jalasaya land” including ponds, tanks and water bodies in the city.
The restriction assumes significance with a large number of water bodies being filled to build houses for the ever-increasing population, which, in turn, has led to waterlogging in the city.
“The restriction has been imposed to prevent covert purchase and conversion of portions of jalasaya land for unauthorised construction activities vis-à-vis protecting the water bodies belonging to private individuals as part of implementation of order of Orissa High Court,” revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) Arabinda Padhee said.
“The ban is expected to help the government in taking steps to tackle waterlogging in the city during heavy rain,” Padhee said.
On October 11 last year, Orissa High Court had directed the RDC, Cuttack, to form under his chairmanship a committee to deal with the protection, preservation and conservation of water bodies in the city.
The decision to impose the ban was taken by the committee in its meeting on Wednesday. “Accordingly, the inspector-general of registrations has since been asked to introduce a regulation prohibiting registration of sale of portions of jalasaya land including ponds, tanks and water bodies,” the RDC said.
Official reports indicated that a mapping of water bodies in Cuttack city by the Orissa Remote Sensing Application Centre had revealed that there were 424 water bodies in 1990. The number had reduced to 310 in 2006. Of them, 231 were private tanks and the remaining 79 government tanks.
“All the tanks/water bodies available in Cuttack need to be preserved as they help store rainwater and recharge groundwater, on which the entire city depends on for drinking water,” said Akhaya Das, 65, president of Jala Surakhya Janamancha.
“The ban is the first positive step by the RDC-headed committee to protect water bodies in Cuttack city since the high court issued the order nearly 10 months ago,” amicus curiae Pravat Ranjan Dash said. The high court had issued the order on a PIL on alleged filling up of water bodies to build houses.
