READ LATER
Facebook
Twitter
Telegram
Whatsapp
Google News
Representational image
A massive legacy waste clearance is underway at Cuttack's Chakradharpur dumping yard as the city authorities scramble to comply with judicial orders and fix long-standing waste management lapses.
The campaign, which was flagged off on 28th March, marks a turning point in how the city handles its mounting solid waste, with plans underway to expand its sanitation infrastructure and governance.
The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) swung into action after a double rap from the Orissa High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The Orissa High Court, responding to reports of garbage being dumped on the Mahanadi riverbanks at Gadagadia Ghat, a site adjacent to the historic Bali Yatra fairground, ordered immediate cessation of such practices.
In that matter, a special bench led by Justices Sangam Kumar Sahoo and V Narasingh directed CMC to move all waste to a designated site and submit a compliance report within two weeks.
Simultaneously, public concern and media coverage intensified scrutiny of CMC's waste management failures. The NGT, too, had raised questions about Odisha's compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. In response, CMC accelerated its efforts, setting the stage for a long-overdue cleanup.
The Chakradharpur dumping yard, situated near Mundali, has amassed nearly seven metric tons of legacy waste over two decades.
This site, once a peripheral zone, now lies dangerously close to expanding residential areas. The situation reached a tipping point as the accumulated waste posed environmental hazards and health risks.
In an effort to meet the court-mandated deadlines, CMC has roped in three private agencies and deployed advanced waste-processing equipment. The cleanup operation includes trommel machines for waste segregation, composting units, and bio-mining technology.
The project is expected to be completed within three months, with officials expressing confidence in both the timeline and the technology. The partnership between public governance and private contractors reflects a strategic pivot to more efficient, tech-enabled urban sanitation solutions.
Decades of unregulated dumping near the Mahanadi riverbank in Wards 48 and 49 have left deep scars. Residents have reported frequent fires due to spontaneous combustion and the open burning of garbage. The fires have reportedly worsened air quality and increased respiratory ailments, particularly among children and the elderly.
Historically, Cuttack’s waste disposal practices lacked a centralised system. Before Chakradharpur became the primary dumping site, waste was disposed of indiscriminately in low-lying areas, drains, and vacant plots across the city.
Places like the Banka nullah near Khannagar, Satichaura, and Petanala, along with areas adjacent to the Kathajodi River, had turned into informal garbage grounds. This unregulated dumping led to regular complaints from residents about waterlogging, foul smells, and vector-borne diseases, which gradually pushed municipal authorities to seek a permanent solution.
Cuttack's planned jurisdictional expansion demands a robust waste management framework, including decentralised composting, stricter enforcement of segregation at the source, and scientific landfill design.
The state government is reportedly working on integrating waste-to-energy projects and implementing cluster-based regional waste treatment hubs. The emphasis, according to insiders, is on preventing future build-ups rather than reactive cleanups.
If successful, Cuttack could emerge as a model for other historic Indian cities grappling with similar urban waste challenges. But sustained community engagement and regulatory vigilance will be crucial to ensure that the city doesn't relapse into its old habits.
Get on Play Store
Get on App Store
