Bhuasuni waste disposal ground eco-sensitive zone

Bhubaneswar: The villagers of Daruthenga have written to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) saying that the designated garbage dumping site in Bhuasuni is an eco-sensitive zone and may pose an environmental hazard to the region.
The civic body is in a fix for the past one and a half months to send bulk of municipal solid waste to the site in Bhuasuni, after the villagers locked the dumping ground in February, alleging that the BMC dumping waste in an improper manner.
This led to piling up of waste at the temporary transfer station in Sainik School. The Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) rapped the BMC asking why waste was not being shifted to the designated site in Bhuasuni.
According to sources, the villagers recently sent a petition to the BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar, saying the dumping site is located in close proximity to the Nandankanan zoo and Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary.
"The waste disposal site is causing serious environmental hazard. The BMC has not created landfill facilities to bury the waste. As a result, the bulk of garbage is lying exposed. Moreover, waste is not being segregated. Plastic waste and other waste are getting mixed up with municipal waste," said village sarpanch, Prasanta Kumar Routray, in his petition.
"There are five villages within half kilometre radius of the dumping site. Even little gust of wind blow plastic waste and litter the villages," he added. "How can the pollution control board and the forest department remain silent on the matter," he asked.
Around 4,000 metric tonnes of garbage is piled up at the temporary transfer station near Sainik School before being transported to Bhuasuni.
A week ago, the BMC zeroed in on an alternative dumping site in Tulasadeipur, located 3km from Bhuasuni. But, the villagers were not convinced and they were opposed to the dumping there, too. They say, the site is not far from the eco-sensitive zone and allowing dumping will rob the place of its natural beauty.
According to sources, OSPCB officials, twin city police commissioner Y B Khurania, BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar, mayor A N Jena and Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patasani held a meeting recently to resolve the problem of dumping waste at the designated site. However, they were yet to reach at a solution.
The BMC on Monday sought police presence to ensure waste disposal in Bhuasuni. It has decided to construct a boundary wall around the 62 acre area to prevent trespassing.
"The Odisha Forest development Corporation (OFDC) will provide us technical assistance to take up plantation drive at Bhuasuni to protect the environment," said the mayor.
The city generates around 600 metric tonnes of municipal waste every day. The civic body has roped in private agencies in 60 wards for the collection of the waste while the BMC collects waste in the remaining seven wards.