ROURKELA: Years of neglect have taken a toll on the Brahmani river. While dumping of waste, discharge of untreated industrial effluent, and drain water from Rourkela into the downstream of the river in Bonai sub-division of Sundargarh district continues unabated, no remedial measure has been taken by the district administration to make the situation better.
The Odisha State Pollution Control Board too has not initiated any action in the matter. Wrapping up its two-day visit of Bonai sub-division on Saturday, a five-member delegation of BJP Nadi Suraksha Samiti (BNSS) as part of the ‘Namami Gange’ program on Saturday expressed displeasure over the state of affairs. BNSS State president Maheswar Sahu said the delegation inspected the Brahmani river at different points of the sub-division on Friday. “Release of untreated industrial wastewater and effluent is a major reason for rising pollution in the river,” he rued.
Rourkela Bar Association president and Rourkela Jan Adhikar Manch Member Ramesh Chandra Bal said different ghats of the river in and around the Steel City have turned into garbage dumping spots. Heaps of garbage stuck in the shallow water on the banks of the river speak enough on the condition of the choking water body.
Bal said private industries clandestinely discharge untreated industrial water and effluent to Brahmani and its tributary rivers- Sankh and Koel. Industrial waste from Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) is also discharged into the river through a major natural drain. This apart, the city’s untreated domestic waste gets released into Brahmani and Koel rivers at Koelnagar, Panposh, Tumkela, and other areas. Bal said, “A sizable population residing along the banks of the rivers do not have access to piped water and consume the polluted water from the river but the government seems to have no vision or plan to protect it.”
Sahu said rampant illegal sand mining is also destroying the river’s natural filtration capability. He said during the visit to Koida block on the day, the delegation found the Karo rivulet facing the same problems. In the next visit the delegation would inspect Brahmani and its tributaries in and around Rourkela, he added.