Post News Network
Rourkela, Dec 9: Even as scores of illegally-built private Kalyan Mandaps operate in the Steel City flouting environment norms, Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) authorities have turned a blind eye to the goings-on, a report said.
The administration is in dark about the exact number of such mandaps set up in the city while direct release of wastes by their owners into corporation’s drain result in pollution of water in River Brahmani, locals alleged. Though the local wing of the state pollution control board chided RMC officials time and again to curb the practice, it yielded no result.
A study reveals Kalyan Mandaps are in great demand for social functions like marriage, birthday, thread ceremony or meetings. Private owners cash in on the opportunities as the handful of mandaps constructed by RMC are not adequate to meet the growing demands. On the other hand, many mandaps owned by private individuals have come up on government wasteland. A few others have even set up such halls on the premises of clubs or sanghs to run business, reports said.
While owners of these commercial establishments charge between Rs20, 000 and Rs1,00,00, they fail to put in place a waste management mechanism. Often leftovers and other waste material are found scattered on the road resulting in spread of foul odour. Besides, many mandaps don’t have own parking lots. Mindless parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers in front of mandaps results in traffic snarls in these areas.
Several such mandaps are located at Chhend Colony, Basanti Colony, Civil Township, Koel Nagar and Kalinga Vihar areas under RMC. While a few of them pay holding tax to the corporation, officials fail to collect tax from others as they are located on wastelands and don’t come under RMC’s jurisdiction. These mandaps manage to carry on smooth business over years as no punitive action has been taken against them either by the municipality or the pollution department.
On the other hand, the number of such mandaps is still on the rise. Citizens would have tough time in future unless legal action is taken against these illegal establishments soon, sources said.
When contacted, Mukesh Mahaling, an SPCB official said RMC has been asked to check the waste management systems at these private Kalyan Mandaps. They have also been directed to maintain the permitted standard of water which is released into the river, Mahaling added.