Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has issued notice to a private firm based at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district on the allegations of obstructing a natural canal passing through a piece of land owned by their company, allegedly against prescribed norms.
The HC has asked the company to respond on the charge made by the petitioners. The petitioners alleged that the company has been obstructing the free flow of the natural canal by creating artificial structures on it. This apart, the firm has also been polluting the canal and affecting the nearby water body as well as aquatic lives through their actions, it was alleged.
The petitioners had requested the HC to consider halting the construction works on the canal and pass orders accordingly. “The grievance of the petitioners is the blocking of water passage due to the boundary wall built by the firm on the said channel. The water from the canal has been used by the villagers since time immemorial, resulting in great hardships,” the petition read.
It also added, “…due the discharge of industrial waste into the creek that finally flows into the Bata River, fish and other aquatic population are severely affected. It is further submitted that natural streams are important ecological units which are like the blood vessels of larger Riverine ecosystem and any damage to the streams will lead to substantial impact on the ecosystem.”
The HC while issuing notice said, “Issue notice to the opposite party. List the matter after four weeks.”
The petitioners said before the HC that they had earlier moved to the district administration which failed to act on the issue.
The petitioner said, “The district administration, which is under obligation to oversee if land use is in accordance with law and that no natural streams are obstructed, chose to remain silent and failed to discharge its duty as a trustee of all such resources.”
