SAMBALPUR: The deadlock over dumping of garbage at the identified disposal yard at Jamadarpali continues with the villagers near the yard vehemently opposing it. While it has aggravated the sanitation woes of the town, Sambalpur Municipality finds itself in a spot.
According to sources, Municipality collects about 70 tonnes of garbage everyday. In order to streamline dumping of garbage, it was decided to develop 26 acres of land at Jamadarpali on the outskirts of the town. Though boundary wall of the dumping yard was constructed, villagers of the nearby areas opposed dumping of garbage under hygienic ground.
With the proposed Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management (IMSWM) System for greater Sambalpur area on Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode finding no takers, the town is reeling under severe sanitation crisis. Meanwhile, the town continues to struggle with disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) which is now being dumped at any available vacant ground.
Sambalpur Collector and administrator of Municipality Balwant Singh is working hard to resolve the issue through amicable settlement.
Earlier, Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) had pulled up the Municipality over dumping of garbage all over the town including river banks of Mahanadi and even the court was moved on the matter.
Later, Municipality began dumping the garbage on the foothills of Lamdungri near Pardhiapali along Sambalpur-Rourkela State Highway 10. As it was objected by the Forest Department, the civic body has been dumping the garbage at the PHED ground spread over 22 acres at Ainthapali in the heart of the town.
Meanwhile, in a fresh attempt to resolve the deadlock over disposal yard at Jamadarpali, the Collector convened a meeting of the villagers on Wednesday. But, the meeting failed to yield positive result with the villagers refusing to move from their stand of not allowing dumping of MSW at the yard.
Instead, they proposed to the district administration to undertake plantation or dig up a pond at the place. The meeting was attended by more than 70 villagers who alleged that the dumping of garbage would lead to health problems in the area.
Executive Officer of Municipality Aniruddha Padhan said the villagers even refused the alternative options given to them. Since municipality has few options, they would move as per the law, he added.