Bhubaneswar, July 29: Daruthenga village on city outskirts turned into a battleground today as villagers clashed with police over the civic body's decision of dumping waste at Bhuasuni. The pitched battle left around 20 persons injured from both sides.

Trouble erupted at the village this morning when irate villagers allegedly started pelting stones at the police deployed at the dumping yard to ensure smooth dumping of garbage.

"All of a sudden, the mob started pelting stones at our men, leaving some injured. We tried to pacify the mob, but the-stone pelting continued unabated. Later, we fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the mob," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

The police soon bounced back and retaliated to the stone pelting by firing tear gas shells and rubber bullets. They also resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob.

The villagers, however, denied having pelted stones at the police. "We have been staging peaceful demonstration since Thursday. But, the police today attacked us without any provocation. The entire incident took place in the presence of officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, which has been dumping garbage here despite our protest. The government cannot suppress our demand of relocation of the dump yard by applying force," said Daruthenga sarpanch Prashant Kumar Routray.

Despite the simmering tension, garbage dumping continued unabated at Bhuasuni for the second consecutive day today. The civic body today unloaded waste from 132 trucks at Bhuasuni. A police officer posted at the site, however, claimed that the situation was under control after a discussion between the villagers and the government officials was held this afternoon to diffuse the tension.

"Garbage dumping will continue at the site for the time being. Police personnel have been deployed at the spot to prevent any untoward incident," said a police officer.

The residents have been demanding relocation of the Bhuasuni dump yard, apart from protesting against the civic body's decision to set up a waste-to-energy plant there. Villagers alleged that many people in the village were suffering from health issues in the wake of rising air and water pollution levels because of garbage dumping.

Municipal commissioner Krishan Kumar appealed to the villagers to co-operate with the civic body.

"It is true that heaps of garbage are lying there in the dump yard. But once the proposed waste-to-energy plant comes up, this garbage could be treated over the next three years. Once the plant is operational, we also have a plan to develop a park in the area. The treatment plant is essential with the central government notifying a new solid waste management plan for urban bodies in April this year. The plant is not a problem, rather it is a solution," said Kumar.