Cuttack Municipal Corporation files case against violator for dumping waste on river bed

CUTTACK: After facing criticism for remaining silent on dumping of waste and construction debris on Mahanadi river bed, an embarrassed Cuttack Municipal Corporation initiated measures to check the menace.

On Sunday, CMC Executive Engineer Manish Sarkar filed an FIR at Cantonment police station. Sarkar stated in his FIR filed at Cantonment police station that during his visit to Mahanadi ring road for engagement of sweeping machine ahead of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at about 6.10 pm, he noticed a tractor dumping garbage on the river bed between Cantonment police station and Bali Yatra Gate.

On enquiry, the tractor driver did not disclose his name but revealed that contractor Sarat Sahoo of Khan Nagar had directed to dump the garbage on the river bed, the FIR stated.

Acting on the FIR, though a case has been registered police are yet to take action against the accused persons and vehicle concerned.

“We are looking into the case, necessary action will be initiated after the investigation, said IIC, Cantonment police station Iman Kalyan Nayak.

“Now it is up to the police to take stringent action against the accused which would be a lesson for other violators who will think twice before dumping waste on the river bed in violation of the  National Green Tribunal(NGT) order,” said a city-based environmentalist.

Corporation Commissioner Ananya Das said barriers have been installed near Hadia Patha to prevent entry of vehicles carrying waste for dumping purpose.

“The civic body officials have also been directed to keep a close watch on violators and act tough against them to curb the growing abuse on the river bed,” said Das.

On Monday, expired medicines and food materials were found dumped at the site. A local had claimed that his cow had died after consuming the waste.

A series of stories on the abuse of Mahanadi river bed in violation of the NGT norms and CMC remaining a silent spectator were published in The Express forcing the authorities to act.