Jajpur/Kalinganagar: The Orissa State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) would soon lay a four-km-long draining system to prevent the water of river Kharasrota, a distributary of Brahmani, from turning toxic, a report said.
The drain would be laid between Duburi and Marthapur in Jajpur district while an effluent treatment plant (ETP) would be set up at the down catches to keep Gandanala, a canal considered the lifeline of locals, and Kharasrota pollution free, it was learnt.
It is alleged that rainwater as well as waste water released from several industries including Neelachal Ispat, Maithan Steel, BRPL, Tata Steel, Jindal and VISA continue to add toxin to the water of Brahmani and Kharasrota.
Though it was evident in an OSPCB report two years back, no concrete measures were taken to address the issue.
Based on an exclusive report by Oriya daily Dharitri over the pollution of the rivers and other water bodies in Jajpur, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the High Court.
The Chief Secretary, secretaries of industries, mining, water resources and forest and environment departments, OSPCB chairman, CPCB chairman and collectors of Jharsuguda, Jajpur, Talcher and Keonjhar were made parties in the case.
Orissa High Court, hearing the case, asked the authorities concerned to keep Brahmani and Kharasrota pollution free.
Later, OSPCB decided to set up four treatment plants on the banks of these two rivers.
Four major industries – Rourkela Steel Plant on the banks of Brahmani in Rourkela, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in Talcher, Bhushan Steel Limited in Dhenkanal and Tata Steel at Kalinganagar- were requested to set up the plant in the larger interest of the state and environment.
As the industry majors have so far failed to set up the plants, the OSPCB took the initiative.
Acknowledging the four-km-long drainage proposal, OSPCB regional officer Anup Kumar Malik said the details of the project and its cost were yet to be finalised.
The department is planning sincerely to execute it as soon as possible, he added. PNN
