Bhubaneswar, Jan. 20: Gangua, the biggest natural drainage channel carrier in the city, continues to battle encroachment, even as the state government works on a plan to save it.

Residents of Brahmeswar Bagh in ward No. 54 have discovered to their horror that youngsters from the nearby Sisupalgarh are busy laying the foundation of a club on the banks of Gangua. Local councillor of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Malaya Mohapatra has lodged a complaint with the civic officials and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in this regard.

“The construction started five days ago and after the complaint was lodged, the work has been stopped. But surprisingly, while the land belongs to the water resources department, they have taken no action so far,” said Mohapatra.

On December 17, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the action plan had already been started and the drainage division has completed the preliminary survey and investigation. According to the comprehensive development plan of the city, a detailed project report will be prepared by the water resources department and after that the project cost will be calculated.

Gangua nullah carries the sewage of nine of the 10 natural drainage channels in the city. However, the city does not have an efficient sewage system, most of the natural drains carry wastewater, thus polluting Gangua. Gangua carries all the sewage and finally meets the Daya river after flowing for nearly 10km.

Sangram Keshari Paikray of Gangua Bachao Andolon said the entire length of the Gangua channel was facing the threat of encroachment. “Besides working out an action plan to save the channel, the state government should also announce a ban on construction activities within it or on its banks,” he said.

Conservation activist Surya Narayan Das of Gangotrinagar said: “The water body has been part of the 3,000 year history of the famous fort Sisupalgarh, as it was the moat of a fortified settlement. The action plan should also look at ways to conserve the historic importance of Gangua. The state government should take some exemplary action to demolish illegal structures encroaching or blocking the water channel.”

Naba Kishore Mahalik, retired professor of geology at Utkal University, said: “These channels are formed naturally and they collect the rainwater so that the city does not suffer from waterlogging or flood-like situation, but unmindful urbanisation is causing problems. The state government should put curbs on this trend immediately.”

Last year, The Telegraph conducted a campaign to create awareness about encroachments on Gangua near Nuagaon, Sisupalgarh and ward No. 54 and this prompted the state government to take note of the situation. The encroachment and flooding issue on other natural drainage channels such as channel No. 4 has also attracted attention from the drainage authorities.

Under threat

A small feeder channel under the revenue area of Rajarani is also under threat from illegal construction activities. The 40-feet-wide channel, if blocked, will flood more than 400 houses in Ratnakar Bagh, Bishnu Nagar and Shiva Nagar.

Local resident Sushanta Mohapatra said the councillor had already raised the issue with the authorities concerned and a case had been filed under the Odisha Development Authorities Act, 1982. But no action had been taken so far.

BMC commissioner Sanjib Kumar Mishra also wrote a letter to the executive engineer, drainage division, Bhubaneswar, on November 7 last year. “As there is no alternative channel for drainage, the encroachment could result in severe waterlogging,” Mishra had cautioned.