Bhubaneswar, Nov. 3: Gangua nullah’s list of woes just got longer. It was recently in the news following the construction of an unauthorised road and bridge over it. It has now come to light that certain stone carving units are dumping their waste into the channel.

Members of the Gangua Bachao Andolan (GBA) alleged that waste is being dumped into the nullah to reclaim land from it. And this is happening just 100 metres away from the place where the unauthorised road and bridge over the nullah are being demolished.

While inspecting the site yesterday to oversee the demolition work, superintending engineer of the drainage division, Cuttack, Manoranjan Mishra said: “Throughout its course, the water channel faces the threat of encroachment.”

He added that what the drainage division needs is a detailed survey of the Gangua basin to find out just how many encroachments lie in its path, impeding the passage of water.

Retired professor of geology, Utkal University, N.K. Mahalik said: “Anyone encroaching on Gangua nullah should be punished, as encroachment affects the storm water clearing capacity of the channel. This channel takes on the burden of nine out of the 10 natural drainage channels in Bhubaneswar. Near Chakeisiani, many housing projects have encroached into the Gangua basin. The situation is similar in Basuaghai up to Sisupalgarh and Mahabhoi Sasan where, at present, a builder has constructed a road and bridge.”

“The prompt action of the state government (in demolishing the unauthorised road and bridge) is a welcome step, but tough action should be taken against all other encroachers, as in many areas real estate developers have reclaimed land from the Gangua basin to build residential plots. The city needs a combined effort from the revenue, water resources, general administration departments and authorities like the Bhubaneswar Development Authority and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to take on these encroachers. The floods in the Daya river system in September has exposed our lacunae,’’ the geologist added.

Bhubaneswar MLA (Ekamra) Ashok Panda said that apart from administrative action, awareness must be created among people on the importance of the water channels and their role in storm water clearance should be propagated so that people think twice before encroaching on the nullah.

Saying that most of the land on the banks of Gangua nullah was occupied illegally, he urged the civic and development authorities to work towards safeguarding the nullah.

Gangua was once a moat around the historic Sisupal Garh (fort), which historians say was probably the fort of emperor Kharavela.

Known as Gandhabati in ancient times, the transformation of the beautiful moat into a waste water nullah has become a shame for the city.

According to a scientific study, the 35.7km Gangua nullah discharges approximately 652 cusecs of water into the river Daya on the outskirts of the city.

Gangua takes on the load of the city’s domestic and industrial waste, which runs into it from the natural drainage channels. Without an operational sewerage system in the city, the water body has become a “living sewerage line’’ for the city. There are 88 industries and two industrial clusters in the city, of which 34 are potential water polluters. They discharge their effluents into Gangua through the drainage channels.

GBA member Sangram Paikray said that in the future the state government should launch an awareness drive to sensitise residents and businessmen, as many of them have even opened their wastewater pipelines directly into Gangua. Stressing that many might not know about the importance of the water channel, Paikray said all the authorities and departments concerned should hold talks with the GBA members from time to time so that the drainage channel could have an uninterrupted course and there would be no threats of man-made floods.

“In the past, a lot of land near Basuaghai was encroached upon by people after they came to know that the land belongs to the state government. There was no follow-up action and now the land has gone into private hands. If the state government does not realise its mistake now, Gangua could also be left as a dry channel causing floods even after brief showers,’’ said another GBA office-bearer.