Protest erupts again over dumping yard at Daruthenga on Bhubaneswar outskirts

Tension prevailed at Daruthenga area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Thursday over the ongoing controversy surrounding the dumping yard here. The locals staged a demonstration after Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) moved five heavy machines for the Bhuasuni treatment plant.

The villagers staged the agitation by blocking the Chandaka-Pitapali road for long hours. Vehicular movement on the major road was adversely hit due to the road blockade. Daruthenga Sarpanch and scores of other residents took part in the agitation today.

“Without any prior discussion, the authorities tried to start dumping yard work in the form of bio-mining project. As per the previous assurance, the work should have been executed with prior discussion with the local residents. However, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) brought machines and other articles to the spot in the dead of the night,” said an agitator.

It is pertinent to mention here that the locals are up in arms over the dumping yard project since 2008. “We are opposing the double-standards adopted by BMC. Earlier, it was decided at a high-level meeting that the dumping yard will be closed by May 23 and the work on the bio-mining project will start and the land will be transferred to locals,” said another local resident.

The locals further alleged that no step has been taken by the authorities to fulfil the assurances given to them. Earlier, it was decided to conduct a review meeting every month. But as per allegations, so far it has not been fulfilled. BMC should look for an alternative land for dumping yard project and we have been demanding this for the last 15 years, another local resident said.

(Reported by Chandan Paikaray)