The transit dumping yard at Dasaraja Tangi. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan.9: The growing size of the dump yard at Dasaraja Tangi in the capital has become a cause of concern for the residents of Sainik School and Railway Colony areas as it has threatened to raise the pollution level in the area.

Devotees coming to the Dasaraja Thakura and Shiva Temples in the area have been alarmed by the army of flies that attacks them as soon as they enter the temple premises. “This is because of the dumped garbage in the area. The smell is also unbearable,” said a local resident. The villagers of Gadakana in the area have lodged several complaints against pollution and garbage dumping in the past, but to no avail.

Sources in the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the place was a transit dumping yard that collects about 200 tractor loads of garbage from different localities of the city. After the dumping, the garbage is lifted by big trucks and tippers that make around 30 trips to Bhuasuni on the outskirts of the city which has been earmarked as a place for dumping the city’s solid waste.

“The Dasaraja Tangi was earlier a beautiful waterbody which was used by the villagers for bathing. On the Kartik Purnima day the miniature boats were sailed in it recalling the maritime history of the state. But with the dumping of garbage by the civic authorities, the place has become very polluted,’’ said Parsuram Pati, of nearby Sameigadia Sasan, who had come to the Dasaraja Thakura temple for a family function today.

“Local residents have protested on so many occasions against the dumping of solid waste in the area. But nothing has happened. Now it has become difficult to organise a family get-together on the temple premises as flies will attack you from all sides,’’ added Pati.

Kalandi Jena of Rangamatia village said: “It is strange that the garbage is first dumped here and again transported to Bhuasuni. When the solid waste can be straightaway taken to Bhauasuni according to high court directives, what is the need for putting it here? The transit yard only adds to the cost of solid waste management by the BMC.’’

“Besides, all the waste never gets transported to the dumping yard at Bhuasuni. A lot of the remaining waste pollutes the entire area. So the local residents have started deserting the stretch joining VSS Nagar and Dasaraja Tangi. Taking advantage of this situation, three anti-socials attacked a local youth and snatched away his mobile phone six days ago. Many such cases have also been reported in the past,’’ he added.

A staff of the solid waste transportation contractor, who was present at the site today said: “While 200 tractors come with garbage, tippers and big trucks make 30 trips to transport the garbage daily. We are using the transit yard as it is not possible to collect garbage by trucks from every street. Also transporting the solid waste to Bhuasuni by tractors is not an economically viable option.’’

Admitting that it was not possible to take away all the waste from the transit yard, he said that the remaining garbage was pushed into a valley near the site.