Bhubaneswar: The residents of Baliapanda area in Puri have expressed their resentment over the health hazards they are facing due to a huge dumping yard in the locality. With various solid waste materials being dumped at around eight acres of land in Baliapada for several years, it has taken the shape of a hill, the locals alleged.
While the stinking smell of some of the decomposing waste material in the dumping yard is unbearable for the local residents, and the smoke emitting out of the dumping yard whenever there is a fire, causes an inconvenience to residents. Many locals are also facing health hazards due to the pollution arising out of the dumping yard and regularly falling ill. Though they have requested the district administration several times to shift the dumping yard to somewhere else, it has fallen on deaf ears.
“This is a tourist spot and the area is situated in the middle of the city. Several families including the families of the servitors are living near the area. Several hotels are also situated near the dumping yard. However, it is not understandable how a dumping yard could be there at the center of a town,” said Indrajit Mohapatra, a local resident.
“The pollution, stinking smell, and smoke arising out of the dumping yard are unbearable. Local people are facing severe health hazards because of the dumping yard. We have been listening for many years that it will be shifted, but nothing is happening,” said Rama Mallick another local resident.
Concerned over the unhygienic situation at Baliapanda, a local lawyer named Chinmay Dash had filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal to shift the dumping yard to somewhere else, but nothing has materialized yet.
“Whenever I return from the sea beach, I feel the toxic atmosphere at Baliapanda area due to the dumping yard. Being a lawyer I was really concerned about the ordeal of the people living in the nearby areas. I filed a petition at the National Green Tribunal requesting remedial measures. However, nothing has happened yet,” said Dash.
Meanwhile, Puri Municipality officials assured that the waste materials will be shifted soon after being processed.
“An MOU will be signed with an agency soon for processing and shifting of the waste material from the area. A preliminary survey is being conducted for assessing the amount of waste material piled in the area. Work in this direction will be undertaken at the earliest,” said Manoj Behera, Additional Executive Officer of Puri Municipality.
