CUTTACK: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) informed the Orissa High Court on Thursday that a detailed project report (DPR) for preventing pollution of the Taladanda canal due to discharge of effluents from municipal drains in the city has been submitted to the state government.
The Rs 32.32 crore DPR was submitted to the Housing and Urban Development department for necessary approval and sanction of funds on August 23, 2024, the CMC stated in a status report on discharge of untreated water and sewage from drains into the Taladanda.
The report was submitted before the special bench for suo motu PILs on civic issues of Cuttack city by CMC counsel Debashis Nayak on Thursday.
Taking the report on record, the division bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh said, “Let the government advocate obtain instruction regarding the approval and sanction of the fund for the execution of the work. List this matter on October 24, 2024.”
The Taladanda, which starts from Jobra, passes through the city and links the Mahanadi river with the Bay of Bengal at Paradip at about 83 km from Cuttack. The canal has been the source of water for irrigation to Sadar area in Cuttack district and Raghunathpur, Balikuda, Tirtol and Erasama areas in Jagatsinghpur district.
According to the status report, effluents from eight municipal drains are being presently discharged into the canal. But the existing outfall points between Malgodown and Naya Bazaar through which untreated water and sewage from drains are flowing into the canal cannot be closed without construction of a diversion drain connecting these drains to the main storm water channel - 1.
“Prior to construction of proposed drain, if now the outfall points will be closed, the upstream side of the adjoining drains, i.e. near Urban Haat at Malgodown area, Light House, Police Colony, Kunja Bihari School of Chauliaganj area will be severely waterlogged and submerged and the local people will suffer,” the status report said.
“After getting approval and sanction of funds, the CMC will float tender for execution and completion of the proposed diversion drain. As the estimated cost of the said project is more than Rs 32 crore, it will take minimum one year for completion of the project,” the report said.