KENDRAPARA: Residents of Hajaribagicha, Khadianga, Jayapura, Sunaelo and Ekarakhandi villages on the outskirts of Kendrapara town staged road blockade on Thursday in protest against dumping of garbage in the open by municipality authorities.
Accusing the civic body of polluting the environment including Gobari river, the agitators blocked the main road at Hajaribagicha for two hours. Bhaskar Rout of Hajaribagicha said, “It is illegal on the part of municipality authorities to dispose of garbage near our village instead of the designated dumping yard here. The rotting garbage is polluting the area and nearby Gobari river.”
Sources said there is a waste management plant at Hajaribagicha where garbage collected from areas under the municipality limits is disposed of. However, the garbage has spilled over to roads causing major inconvenience to local villagers.“The garbage spills over during transportation, dirtying several stretches of the main road. Besides, the waste flows into nearby agriculture fields during rains,” said Rout.Last week, the villagers had detained two garbage-laden tractors at Hajaribagicha.
Executive officer of Kendrapara municipality Deba Prasad Bal said, “We have a solid waste management plant at Hajaribagicha where all the garbage is being dumped. Sometimes due to lack of space, sanitary workers dispose of the waste near the road. We have instructed them not to litter the village roads. Steps are being taken to clear the garbage from roads soon.”