Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has directed the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file an affidavit within seven days regarding the illegal dumping yard located on the Sainik School campus in Gadakana — a matter that has long troubled local residents due to environmental and health hazards.
The directive was issued in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bhubaneswar Unnayan Parishad president Basudev Bhatta. The PIL highlights the severe pollution caused by the dumping yard, which has reportedly been in operation for over 18 years without the necessary environmental clearances, in violation of multiple environmental laws.
During the hearing, the court noted inconsistencies in the information provided by BMC, particularly concerning the source and processing of the 30 kiloliters of leachate generated daily from the site. The BMC had previously submitted a plan for processing this waste to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), but the court expressed dissatisfaction with the clarity and completeness of the details submitted.
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The petitioner’s counsel presented photographs of the dumping yard and the accumulated leachate, reinforcing claims of gross negligence. The case is being monitored by Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court Biraja Mohapatra, along with legal experts Biplav Bahal and Surya Mishra, on behalf of Bhubaneswar Unnayan Parishad.
Local residents and activists have long been campaigning for the closure of the site under the “Sainik School Bachao, Dumping Yard Hatao” movement. “We are hopeful that the court’s intervention will finally bring an end to this menace,” said Bhatta.
Committee members Ashok Paikray and Prasanna Bisoi, along with several environmental activists, have welcomed the High Court’s directive to BMC, expressing hope that judicial intervention will lead to long-overdue environmental justice.
When contacted, BMC officials declined to comment, stating that the matter is currently sub judice before the Court.
PNN
