Paradip, Nov. 2: Roadblock to the World Bank-funded solid waste management project in Paradip port town has finally been removed.

Ending the row over land for the much-awaited project, the state government and the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) reached an amicable settlement on October 28 by earmarking about 20 acre patch of land for the waste management project under Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme, according to official sources.

“A nearly 20 acre patch of land at Rangiagada near the railway station on the outskirts of the civil township was allocated for the project. The project will get under way shortly and the earmarked land has been handed over to the Paradip municipality,” said additional district magistrate Surajit Das.

Both the state government and PPT were earlier locked in an unsavoury tug of war over the ownership of the land.

“The Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation was technically in physical possession of the said patch of land as the government had leased it out. But PPT had laid claim over it and moved the civil court. The court had ruled in favour of the corporation. Consequently, PPT had moved the Orissa High Court,” said special land acquisition officer Nrusingha Charan Swain.

Following the land dispute, the administration had spotted another patch of land at Kansarapatia near the oil refinery project. But, the earmarked land was forest classified.

The administration had sought forest and environment clearance for the project on the said land. However, the dispute was resolved yesterday with PPT agreeing to pull out from land claim. The amicable settlement was reached, with chairman-cum-managing director of the corporation Priyabrata Pattnaik and PPT chairman G.J. Rao according approval to it, said officials.

The state government, in an official communication recently, has taken exception to delay on part of the PPT in land allotment. The World Bank grants would lapse if PPT did not evince interest in implementation of such a public utility and environment-friendly project, the official communication had maintained.

The bustling port town still goes without an urban solid waste management and treatment system, with accumulated solid wastes creating pollution and unhygienic environment. Huge quantity of solid waste that generated everyday from the port town is presently being disposed of in a dumpyard on the outskirts of the port township.

As mechanism to treat the waste is conspicuous by its absence, its hazardous effect is largely felt in some localities near the dumpyard at Bangalipada.

“The project is of great significance to a growing industrial township like Paradip. As per the ICZM project, the state-of-the-art solid waste treatment plant would be installed to treat and process the waste and garbage using modern technology,” said Das.

Every day, 48 metric tonnes of solid waste and garbage are generated from the municipality. As an enormous quantity of solid wastes is getting deposited everyday, it is required to be treated and processed to maintain hygiene.