Anandi Gadia, the pond lying outside the Brahmeswar temple in Bhubaneswar is full of weeds. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 14: A pond outside the Brahmeswar temple in the Old Town area in Bhubaneswar lies in utter neglect. While a sum of Rs 17.37 lakh has been set aside for the renovation of a pond inside the temple, nothing has been done to take care of the one outside.

Known as Anandi Gadia, the pond, which was once frequented by the local residents, is now choked with tons of weeds that cover its whole expanse. Although both these ponds are located within proximity of 100 metres, their fate remains dissimilar.

The water of Anandi is barely visible and a portion of the retaining wall is broken. Solid wastes such as polythene and papers are also seen scattered all around the place. A plaque commemorating some work done on the pond in 2003 lies nearby. Sandip Acharya, an educationist of Brahmeswar Bagh, said: “During our childhood days, both the ponds were popular destinations in summer months to take bath. The temple pond was slightly bigger, but the Anandi Gadia was also popular, especially during the festival of Holi. After renovation of the main temple, the pond inside Brahmeswar is safe with less pollution and siltation. However, the one outside is not cared for.”

“The temple pond is, however, getting polluted because of disposal of puja ritual materials in the water. People also float the miniature boats during Kartik Purnima to remember the maritime tradition of the Oriya people. As a result, the water gets polluted with many boats. But there is no limit to Anandi Gadia’s pollution as the open space is littered with solid waste of all kinds,” he added.

Bijay Kumar Rath, former superintendent, state archaeology, said: “There is a scientific reason for the existence of so many ponds in the Old Town area. Gangua river, the moat around the Sisupalgarh fort, which has turned into a nullah now and is full of wastewater, was actually feeding all the ponds by charging them through the laterite bed of the region. But now as the river-turned-nullah is facing a threat due to pollution, ponds in the Old Town area should be preserved by the civic and development authorities.”

Malaya Kumar Mohapatra, local councillor of ward No. 54, however, added that as the BMC area ends just after the boundary of the Brahmeswar temple, Anandi Gadia was not included under the additional central assistance funds. The area falls under Basuaghai gram panchayat and the panchayat authority should renovate the pond.

“The BMC renovating some of the dying water bodies in the city. But as the additional central assistance has to look after so many projects, the water bodies outside the BMC periphery could not be included in the plan,” added Mohapatra. Subrat Nayak, executive officer of Basuaghai gram panchayat, said: “Renovation of water bodies in the panchayat area has been on top of our agenda. Accordingly, a proposal was given to the government for consideration to renovate Anandi Gadia three months ago. But if it is not included in the plan we will put the renovation plan in our supplementary budget and do the needful.”