CUTTACK: The decade-old plan to develop and conserve 66 water bodies in the city for community use seems to have come to nought. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has filed an affidavit in the Orissa High Court indicating that most of the 66 water bodies were currently filled with garbage, sand or weeds. In some, constructions have been made after 2012.
The CMC filed the affidavit on Wednesday along with a report on the current status of the 66 water bodies identified for conservation under a plan by the Revenue department in 2012. The Housing and Urban Development department had sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the purpose. The court was hearing a PIL for conservation of water bodies which were identified for preservation and maintenance in the city. Maitree Sansad, a city-based social service organisation, had filed the PIL in 2019.
In the affidavit, CMC’s joint commissioner Manoranjan Mohapatra indicated that 30 of the 66 water bodies were filled with sand, garbage or weeds while another five have been filled up. The rest are fit for community use but in most cases except for 10, there was either no approach road for the public due to constructions all around or were not being used. The CMC report also indicated that almost 50 per cent of the Kanika Rajbati pond, the largest water body in the city, was found filled with sand and in the rest, there was abundant growth of weeds. A two-storey building, truck and bus terminal and Kalyan Mandap have been constructed by filling up ponds. Besides, a pond inside the Barabati Stadium area has also given way to the OCA Club complex.
Taking on record the affidavit, the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice R K Pattanaik fixed August 22 for hearing on the matter. The bench expected the petitioner counsel to file a rejoinder by then. While disposing a PIL on October 11 2012, the court had directed the RDC (Central Division), Cuttack to form a committee under his chairmanship to deal with protection, preservation and conservation of water bodies in the city and take decisions accordingly.
The PIL had alleged filling up of water bodies and conversion for homestead purposes. The 66 water bodies were identified under a special plan and Rs 5 crore was sanctioned for the purpose in the same year after the HC order in 2012. Subsequently, the RDC imposed a ban on partial sale (portions) of ‘Jalasaya land’ including ponds, tanks and water bodies in Cuttack city in 2013.