Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 21: The state government, alarmed at the jaundice outbreak in various places of the state, has urged departments concerned to ensure rivers flowing through the state are kept in good condition.
A large number of cities and towns in the state are dependent on rivers for their drinking water needs. As jaundice is a water-borne disease, it is imperative that rivers are properly maintained, the state government noted.
Chief Secretary GC Pati issued the directive at a review meeting held at the Secretariat recently where the condition of rivers flowing through the state was discussed, sources in the housing and urban development (H&UD) department said.
Pati said the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers have become dumping areas for urban garbage and industrial units, thus greatly polluting their waters.
The major cities situated along the banks of the Mahanadi – Sambalpur and Cuttack – are in the throes of a full-blown jaundice epidemic, indicating how the polluted water of the river may have played a part in the rapid spread of the disease.
Pati asked the H&UD department and the Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) to chalk out plans for improvement of the water regime and ecological flow of water in the river systems of Mahanadi and Brahmani.
Sources said while waste-water generation from Sambalpur stretch of Mahanadi is 34,360 kilolitres per day (KLD), Cuttack contributes 1,05,600 KLD while Bhubaneswar contributes 2,08,624 KLD through distributaries such as Kuakhai.
Similarly, waste-water generation from Rourkela stretch of Brahmani is 66,520 KLD, whereas Talcher town contributes 45,184 KLD.
Pati also directed the expediting of construction of low-cost lavatories and interception as well as diversion of drains discharging wastewater to Taladanda canal, Mahanadi, Kathajodi and Brahmani rivers.
Officials were also asked to take short-term and long-term measures to prevent direct mixing of wastewater with river water. ‘Ponding’ of wastewater in the dry sand bed of River Kuakhai has also been proposed to discharge wastewater of the capital city.
A detailed project report (DPR) for wastewater management in various phases for 48 towns along the banks of the major rivers will be prepared soon, sources said.
