The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Puri Municipality to ensure the treatment and removal of the entire legacy waste from Baliapanda dumping yard within a period of two years i.e., by December 31, 2025.
A bench of Justice B Amit Sthalekar and Dr Afroz Ahmad of the eastern bench of NGT, Kolkata has issued the direction while hearing a petition on July 12. The bench has directed the concerned department of the Odisha government to remove the 50 ft dumping yard covering eight acres of the area by December 31, 2025.
The tribunal has further ordered to shift the waste material from the area after having proper treatment.
“To bring out the permanent and clear solution a project with time-bound action plan should be framed by the concern Department of Odisha government so that another vast area far away from the town locality of Puri should be identified and to be developed as per guideline of CPCB,” the NGT order read.
“After completion of the new site the present practices at Baliapanda dumping yard can be stopped gradually and the day to day problem can be sorted out in the course of time,” it further read.
The Tribunal has given the order while hearing a petition filed by lawyer Chinmay Dash.
In its order, the Tribunal has also emphasizsd to keep the entire dumping yard area under CCTV surveillance and not to allow anybody to enter the area.
The NGT has further ordered to construct a boundary wall around the area after clearing all the waste material from the dumping yard. The Tribunal also directed to submit a report after testing the ground water below the area.
“Considering the security of the local residents and all the tourists of Puri, the Tribunal has given an important order and it will be strictly followed,” said local lawyer Chinmay Dash.
Considering the ordeal of the local people residing near the dumping yard, Dash had filed the petition before the Tribunal a few months back. Following the development, Puri Municipality had filed an affidavit before the tribunal.
Puri Municipality officials had assured that the waste materials would be shifted soon after being processed.
Notably, the residents of Baliapanda area in Puri have been expressing their resentment over the health hazards they are facing due to a huge dumping yard in the locality.
With various solid waste materials being dumped at around eight acres of land in Baliapada for several years, it has taken the shape of a hill.
While the stinking smell of some of the decomposing waste material in the dumping yard is unbearable for the local residents, the smoke emitting from the dumping yard whenever there is a fire, causes inconvenience to residents.
Many locals are also facing health hazards due to the pollution arising out of the dumping yard and regularly falling ill, it was alleged.