CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the state government to inform about the status of the Rs 320 crore project being undertaken for repair and renovation of branch storm water channels (BSWC) and Rs 32 crore project to prevent unchecked discharge of effluents from drains into the Taladanda Canal in Cuttack city.
The special bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh, constituted for dealing with civic issues in Cuttack city, has asked state counsel to obtain instruction about the status of sanction of the aforesaid two DPRs.
“A responsible officer of the department concerned shall file an affidavit in that respect,” the bench ordered and fixed January 9 as next date for hearing on the matter.
The court sought the status reports from the government after Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) city engineer Atanu Kumar Samanta stated that so far as repair and cleaning of wall of branch drain from Jhola Sahi to Seminary Square and Old Rousapatna to New Rousapatna where the branch drain touches the box drain (main storm water channel-1), detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to the government for renovation of all five branch storm water channels (BSWC).
Samanta appearing through virtual mode stated that the project cost of the five BSWCs is Rs 320 crore and was submitted to the government on August 21, 2024. “Similarly, another DPR has been submitted to the government for construction of drains to stop the flow of drain water to Taladanda Canal and the project cost is Rs 32 crore and it was submitted to the government on August 23, 2024,” Samanta stated.
Wastewater and sewage from eight municipal drains are being discharged into the Taladanda canal. The existing outfall points can only be closed after diversion of the effluents from these drains between Malgodown and Naya Bazar to the main storm water channel-1 by construction of a connecting drain from Urban Haat to Nayabazar.
Starting from Jobra in Cuttack, the Taladanda which passes through the city for nearly 5 km and links the Mahanadi river with the Bay of Bengal at Paradip 83 km away. Preventing pollution of the Taladanda is vital as the channel has been the source of water for irrigation to Sadar area in Cuttack district and Raghunathpur, Balikuda, Tirtol and Ersama areas in Jagatsinghpur district.