Sambalpur: Sambalpur stood at the top in the state in the recently conducted cleanliness survey (Swachhata Sarvekshan) that made the people here proud. But an eyesore in the city is cowsheds (Gwalakhatal).
Illegal cowsheds can be spotted at vantage locations. They are not only a threat to people’s health but also detrimental to Sambalpur Municipality Corporation (SMC)’s cleanliness drive.
Leaving aside the sanitation and beautification aspects, the cowsheds are grotesque. They are also impeding the ongoing developmental works in the city area. It is alleged that some of their influential customers are trying to justify their presence anywhere and everywhere in the city.
One such cowshed could be seen at the end of upcoming second bridge across Mahanadi River. It has occupied a place in the under construction large traffic circuit with the heritage site Bejbaroah House at its centre.
Orissa and Assam state governments have announced crores of funds to develop and beautify some portion of the traffic circuit as a heritage site. But the cowshed owner had been able to block all these development works for months with the support of some influencial people, it is alleged. Ultimately, he had to agree to leave the place due to mounting public pressure.
Meanwhile, the district administration has drawn up an ambitious plan to shift all the cowsheds to a designated place near Goshala crossings on NH 53 on city outskirts. But that idea could not materialize due to opposition from an influential section of the society, it is alleged.
SMC Commissioner Bimalendu Rai said that such cowsheds are a public nuisance. Unfortunately, the SMC is being pressurised to clear the garbage, dumped by them. He added that SMC has the power to book them under section 133 of CrPC. A case has been already booked against one such cowshed owner at Pradhanpada. But there is hardly any support from the local public for such action.
He lamented that it is the ultimate responsibility of the Revenue Department to evict them from the encroached government lands. But that is rarely done.
A senior citizen, Gopal Pradhan, said that while it is nice to see some people procuring fresh milk from these cowsheds and milk is also required to maintain good health, the sheds cannot be tolerated at the cost of our community health.
He added that these cowsheds in the city area are perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies to spread various diseases. The cow dung and urine are dumped on the roadside near those sheds creating sanitation problems and an unhealthy atmosphere.
He regretted that the customers are promoting the interests of such cowsheds as they have to visit them only once a day just to procure milk while the nearby localities have to bear the brunt.
Years ago, there was no human habitation near these cowsheds, but a growing population and houses around them are now facing a health threat.
Pradhan said that it is high time these cowsheds shifted to somewhere on the outskirts and settle the bovines in an organised and healthy atmosphere. PNN
