Untreated sewage from SCB Medical College and Hospital flows into Taladanda canal in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Jan. 19: Orissa High Court has set a four-week deadline for stopping direct discharge of untreated sewage into the Taladanda canal near SCB Medical College and Hospital and at five other locations in the city.

The court expressed serious concern that the Taladanda, an irrigation channel which starts at Jobra and links the Mahanadi river with the Bay of Bengal in Paradip 83 kilometres away, was being contaminated as domestic effluent were being discharged into it.

The court issued the order taking note of a report submitted by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) on pollution in Taladanda. The OSPCB had expressed concern that direct discharge of hospital wastewater from storm water drains was resulting in deterioration in the quality of water in the canal.

“The division bench of Justice M.M. Das and Justice Indrajit Mahanty fixed the deadline while adjudicating on public interest litigations related to civic problems in Cuttack city yesterday and fixed January 24 for assessment of implementation of the order,” amicus curiae Pravat Ranjan Dash told The Telegraph today.

“Accordingly, the special secretary of state housing and urban development department was directed to file an affidavit on the progress in stopping discharge of sewage into the Taladanda,” he said.

Earlier, the high court had asked the OSPCB to assess the water quality of Taladanda canal indicating its pollution level and whether it was higher than prescribed limit. In its report, the OSPCB said analysis of water samples had revealed that the parameters such as total coliform bacteria were present “beyond prescribed standard”.

“The wastewater generated from various households, commercial places, offices and health care units situated adjacent to SCB are collected in storm water drains and finally discharged to Taladanda canal without any treatment,” the report said.

While indicating discharge of domestic effluent at five more locations, the OSPCB further recommended: “In no circumstances there shall be any discharge of sewage to Tadanda canal.”

The five other locations are at Chatra Bazar, Andarpur, Kantila, Rajahansa, Biribati and Bidyadharpur.

In his report, Santosh Kumar Panda, the regional officer of the OSPCB in Cuttack, said during a field study, it was found that “substantial quantity of untreated wastewater generated from the SCB Medical College and Hospital was being discharged into the Taladanda canal.” “The storm water drain and the sewerage system should be segregated to prevent contamination of Taladanda canal water with domestic effluent,” the OSPCB report further said.

Though there was an effluent treatment plant on the hospital premises, untreated sewage was being discharged into the canal as one of the three sewage pumping stations were not functioning.

While two sewage pumping stations were under the public health engineering department (PHED), one was under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation. The court directed the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to immediately hand over the pumping station to the PHED so that it can be made functional.