Irate over delays, locals inaugurate Rs 100 crore garbage processing plant in Bhubaneswar

In a bizarre move and irked with unusual delay in the commissioning of a garbage processing plant, hundreds of residents from Palasuni locality in Bhubaneswar took it upon themselves and formally inaugurated a long-overdue solid waste processing facility on Sunday.

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This step was taken after repeated requests made to the departmental minister, Mayor, and Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) went unanswered.

Mega plant was completed 8 months ago

The mega plant, which costs around Rs 100 crore, was completed eight months ago but has remained non-operational, allegedly due to a lack of formal inauguration.

This inaction and apathetic attitude of the local authorities had provoked frustration and subsequently resulted in the residents performing the inauguration rituals and symbolically cutting ribbons and breaking coconuts to commence the plant’s formal operation.

Members of ‘Aliagada Hatao O Sainik School Banchao Abhiyan’ (a local outfit), along with local resident,s led the charge in this symbolic commissioning. They also cautioned the BMC authorities of impending protests if garbage from Gadakana dumping yard is not transferred to the new facility in the days ahead. “The protests will be intensified,” they said.

The ongoing issue of foul odours from the existing dump site has been a source of sustained distress for communities in areas such as Sainik School, Patia, Gadakana, Damana village, Adimata Colony, Housing Board Colony, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and Railway Colony.

Despite the residents’ bold step, there has been no official response from BMC Mayor or Commissioner regarding the day’s developments. The officials are yet to comment.

“No minister or political leader was involved in the inauguration. People have inaugurated the facility for their convenience. Despite running from pillar to post, our demands were not being heard for long days,” an agitating woman resident expressed to OTV.

“The dry waste treatment plant has been inaugurated by local residents. Since long days, we, along with the ‘Aliagada Hatao O Sainik School Banchao Abhiyan’ had been demanding to shift the dumping yard to elsewhere. This plant has a capacity to process 150 metric tonnes of garbage,” Bhubaneswar Unnayan Parishad president, Basudev Bhatt stated.

“Despite the facility reaching its completion nearly eight months ago, no step was being taken to inaugurate it. The authorities concerned are sitting silently. If the garbage will not be diverted from Sainik School dumping yard, hundreds of local residents will stage a sit-in in front of the yard and will not allow a single truck to go inside,” Basudev Bhatt said.

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The protest will be intensified from Tuesday (May 27), the Parishad president added.