Newly constructed private buildings on the wetlands of Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 7: Rapid urbanisation is threatening many of the wetlands in the city. Apart from houses being constructed on wetlands, roads are also being laid on them.

Environmentalists and geologists are alarmed over the degradation of the wetlands.

“Even till the late 80s many wetlands were in their natural state. Floods were less frequent then as rainwater used to drain out through the wetlands. However, urbanisation and housing activities in low-lying areas on Ratha Road, near Gangua nullah in Rasulgarh area, along natural drainage channels connecting the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Dumuduma-Jagamara-Gandamunda stretch and Sahid Nagar-Satya Nagar area has changed the face of wetlands,” said Prof. Nabakishore Mahalik, retired professor of Geology, Utkal University.

The wetlands were also instrumental in recharging ground water.

The city depends on water sources such as Naraj barrage on Mahanadi and Palasuni pumping station on Kuakhai rivers for 70-80 per cent of its water needs.

The rest 20 per cent comes from the ground water sources.

So, without conserving the wetlands, the city is now suffering from depletion of ground water level at many areas.

“As the population has doubled in the last two decades, the city is now undergoing a severe transition due to the loss of wetlands,” he added.

Bijay Mishra, environmentalist with a city-based social service organisation, said: “The wetlands and water bodies are not only encroached upon, but while planning approvals are given, the development authority never sticks to its guidelines making the low-lying areas vulnerable to the urbanisation process.

“While a huge lake in Laxmisagar area is under threat from encroachment, many areas such as Paikanagar and Baramunda village are also under threat due to this. The planning authorities should be strictly adhering to the guidelines.”

With the zonal development plan in force by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), the document ‘Future land use proposal and zoning regulations’ prepared by department of architecture and regional planning, IIT Kharagpur had identified the wetlands and low-lying areas only to be used as water theme parks, water sports, lagoon, water-based resorts or other use/activity incidental to use of water bodies.

But nothing is coming up in the city yet.A senior BDA official said: “There might be construction of houses in low-lying areas, but they must have done it without any official permission.”

He also clarified that BDA is granting permission to houses strictly according to master plan norms and there is no violation.

“If anything in the past was granted permission then now we cannot do anything, but in future with ZDP in force, micro-development plan like drainage, roads and related infrastructure will be done according to geographic contours and satellite imageries.”

On encroachment of wetlands or low-lying areas, BDA vice-chairman D.K. Singh, said: “Unless a structure violates the guidelines, BDA cannot do anything. Encroachment issues are to be addressed by the departments concerned.”