Kaliyadalwana Pokhari at Pithapur and (below) Kanika Pokhari at Kanika Chakh in Cuttack.Telegraph pictures

Cuttack, May 5: Preservation and development projects planned at water bodies in the city by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) are stuck in red tape. None of them have got the required sanction of the government in the last three months.

All the projects, including acquisition and development of two private water bodies and development of eight private water bodies through private-public-participation (PPP) mode, are still on paper.

CMC had submitted before the high court on January 13 a proposal to acquire and renovate the Kanika Pokhari at Kanika Chakh and Kaliyadalwana Pokhari at Pithapur.

As Kanika Pokhari is spread over an area of 6.91acres, the civic body had proposed to acquire and develop a portion of it at a cost of Rs 2.30crore. The entire Kaliyadalwana Pokhari, spread over an area of 1.05acres, was proposed to be developed at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore.

The high court, however, had directed CMC to submit a proposal to the housing and urban development department for acquisition of the entire Kanika Pokhari in a phased manner instead of proposing to acquire and renovate a portion of the water body and the entire Kaliyadalwana Pokhari.

“The proposal shall be submitted by the CMC within 10 days from today where after the state government shall issue appropriate notification under Section 4 (1) of the Land Acquisition Act,” the high court had directed in its order on January 13, 2011.

The high court has been monitoring steps for protection and conservation of the water bodies while adjudicating a PIL on depleting water bodies in the city.

But nothing tangible seems to have followed. “The proposal has been submitted but the required orders from the government are yet to follow for us to proceed with the acquisition of the two water bodies,” CMC secretary Ashutosh Samal told The Telegraph today.

The high court had further allowed CMC with the proposals related to development of eight private water bodies through PPP mode. But the civic body is yet to proceed with development work at any of these water bodies.

“Since all these water bodies are either community ponds or belong to a private parties, trust agreements are necessary to be signed with them. The process is under way. The development work will be taken up soon after the agreements are signed,” the CMC secretary said.

The civic body plans to develop through PPP mode Rastrabhasa Pond, Sidheswara Sahi Pond, Peyton Sahi Pond, Lala Matha Pond, Laxminarayan Pond, Nilakantheswar Mandir Tank, Gamhadia Pond and Beleswar Mandira Tank.

“CMC has decided to renovate the eight tanks by utilising Rs 1.20crore of the Rs 1.50crore it had received from state housing and urban development department for preservation of water bodies in the first phase. The remaining Rs 20lakh will be used for developing the government water body inside Sishu Bhawan,” a senior official said.