ACTION FOLLOWS TRIBUNAL ORDER 

Cuttack, Aug. 20: The water resources department has put up pillars along with barbed wire fencing on certain stretches of the embankments of the Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers along the city to check disposal of debris.

The unchecked dumping of solid waste, including construction debris and municipal waste, into the rivers had led to creation of undulating mounds of rubble on the riverbeds.

"We have put up barricades at six spots to check movement of vehicles along the Mahanadi embankment so that they cannot dump solid waste into the river. Signboards with warning messages have also been put up at these sites," Mahanadi south division (Cuttack) executive engineer Prasanta Kumar Das told The Telegraph today.

"A squad has also been formed to make sure vehicles do not sneak into the riverbed at other locations that are yet to be fenced. The squad has been authorised to lodge FIRs against the violators," Das said.

The measures have followed an order issued by the National Green Tribunal's east zone bench in Calcutta on a petition seeking intervention for excavation of dumped debris and other waste from the riverbeds and eviction of all encroachments along the embankments of Mahanadi and Kathajodi at all places in Cuttack city. Environmental activist Biswajit Mohanty had filed the petition.

In an order on July 15, the tribunal bench of Justice S.P. Wangdi (judicial member) and expert member professor P.C. Mishra, said: "Considering the issues involved and the situation highlighted in the application, we are of the view that an interim order is called for. We, thus, for the moment, direct that Cuttack Municipal Corporation shall not dump debris and waste on the riverbeds of Mahanadi and Kathajodi and encroach thereon until further orders. The district administration under the collector shall ensure that this order is strictly complied with."

The district administration had also formed a squad to check dumping of solid waste, including construction materials, in the Kathajodi riverbed. As part of implementation of the NGT's order, obstructions in the form of trenches have been dug up near embankments of Kathajodi to prevent vehicles from carrying solid waste to the riverbed.

"The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has been asked to identify alternative sites for dumping construction debris and also ensure that road construction debris generated from the ongoing Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica)-funded integrated sanitation project is also carried to these sites," additional district magistrate (Cuttack) Bibhuti Bhusan Das told The Telegraph today.

Official sources said Cuttack city generated debris weighing around 8,000 cubic ft to 10,000 cubic ft every day. Most of it finds its way to the Mahanadi and Kathajodi riverbeds. "We have already identified alternative sites at low-lying areas at Khannagar (near Vikash Bhavan), Link Road (near bus depot), Kaliaboda and Krushak Bazar for dumping of construction debris. Measures have also been initiated to ensure disposal of garbage only at the dumping yard meant for it," municipal commissioner Gyana Das told The Telegraph today.

The petition, filed before the tribunal, had pointed out that the Mahanadi and Kathajodi in Cuttack city were being "covered up with solid waste, including construction debris and household waste". Besides, "reclamation activity is continuing to raise riverbed and make it fit for regular use".