Cuttack: Almost a month after National Green Tribunal (NGT) asked the district administration to keep the Mahanadi and Kathjori riverbeds free from dumping of garbage and household waste material, the district Collector has asked Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) authorities to ensure that no garbage is thrown into the two rivers.
Meanwhile, authorities of State Water Resources Department have identified six places on the Mahanadi riverbed and erected barricades to prohibit the dumping of garbage there. Several trenches have also been dug up on the Kathojodi river bed through which waste materials including construction debris were being dumped regularly by individuals, institutions and establishments.
“We have made fencing posts at six places on the Mahanadi riverbed. We hope these will help restrict trucks and tractors from entering the area. This apart, several trenches have been dug up near Purighat area to prevent vehicles from dumping garbage. But we need co-operation from the public so that we can keep our rivers clean,” said Hemanta Dalei, Assistant Engineer, Water Resources Department, Mahanadi South Irrigation Division.
Besides these initiatives, a public awareness drive will be launched soon to make the people aware about the ill-effects of dumping garbage on riverbeds, district Collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said.
“Trench cutting near Devigada and pillar construction near the Mahanadi river bed have already been done. We have asked officials of JICA and CMC in particular not to dump waste materials on the riverbeds. The sites earmarked by CMC should be used for dumping of garbage. We have also asked individuals and construction companies to adhere to the rules. An awareness campaign has been planned and will be launched soon,” Mishra said.
Two squads have been formed to keep a tab on erring individuals/establishments.
“The squads will keep a tight vigil on trucks and tractors plying on the Ring Road. They have been authorised to slap penalty on these vehicles if they are found violating rules,” Mishra noted.
Official sources said Executive Engineers of the two irrigation divisions have been asked to file complaints against errant individuals, institutions and establishments dumping garbage and debris in the two rivers.
On July 15, the tribunal's bench in Kolkata, passing an interim order on a petition in this regard, had asked the CMC to ensure that solid waste, including construction debris and household waste, are not dumped on the beds of Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers.