The garbage dumping yard near Samantarapur in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 23: A huge garbage dump at the entrance of the city welcomes people coming from Puri to the capital. This is a big put off for potential tourists.

While civic authorities are not sure about who dumped the mass of solid waste near the Gangua bridge, local residents claim that the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is not keeping a proper surveillance system to check such nuisance. Earlier, in November, a similar dumping activity was noticed and civic authorities were forced to take action after local residents launched a protest.

“Last year during Durga Puja, we launched a protest and dumping was stopped, but after pujas, it started again. This year, the same thing is happening. Many tourists are going to Puri, Konark and Dhauli along the nearby NH-203, hence such a scene at the beginning of their pilgrimage may be creating a negative impression on their minds. On the other hand, the dumping yard has created an unpleasant environment. Not only the nearby residents, but also 300 students of Bhuasuni Government High School, the garbage has become a nuisance,’’ said a retired deputy superintendent of police on conditions of anonymity.

Businessman and local resident Nityaprakash Swain blamed the BMC authorities for not taking any action against contractors tasked to remove the garbage. “Perhaps garbage lifters are dumping solid waste here to save on their fuel bill as they have to go to the faraway Bhuasuni, which is the designated garbage dumping yard for the city,’’ he reasons.

``Not only solid waste, some people also bring dead animals and throw them on top of the dumped garbage. This creates a terrible situation near the surrounding areas. Topping them all, some private sewerage cleaning operators are coming with their tanks and releasing the waste into the Gangua river through the dumping yard,’’ Swain added.

“The garbage dumping yard near our locality is proof of the mismanagement of the solid waste disposal network and the attitude of the people who are handling the show,” said another local businessman Tarun Kumar Routray.

Speaking to The Telegraph, city health officer, Chandrika Prasad Das, said: “Solid waste is not dumped by the civic body. We have to find out who is doing this. If the sanitation contractors are dumping waste near the bridge, they will be punished.’’ Earlier, BMC deputy commissioner, Priyadarshi Mohapatra, had informed that the civic authorities are planning to take the help of the Police Commissionerate to check dumping of garbage at unauthorised places by violators even at night. However, garbage dumping just near the entry point of the city proves that the BMC authorities are yet to start their plan.

Earlier, the councillor of Dumduma (Ward No. 60) had alleged that garbage had been dumped near the ward and some private sewerage tank operators are also using open space to clean their wastes. Many BMC councillors admitted that “though Bhuasuni has been designated as the official dumping yard, transport contractors engaged in lifting the solid wastes are still using parts of Samantarapur, Sundarpada, Pokhariput, Bhimatangi and Dumduma as dumping yards to save on their fuel costs.’’