HC seeks update on effort to stop Taladanda canal pollution

Cuttack: Expressing concern over unchecked discharge of effluents into the Taladanda canal, the Orissa high court on Thursday asked the state govt for a status update on the Rs 32 crore project that has been planned.
The 83-km-long British-era Taladanda canal meanders through Cuttack and links the Mahanadi river with the Bay of Bengal. Preventing effluents from polluting the canal is vital as the channel is the source of water for irrigation to Sadar area in Cuttack district and Raghunathpur, Balikuda, Tirtol and Ersama areas in Jagatsinghpur district.
The special bench constituted to deal with the PIL on civic issues in Cuttack city issued the direction after perusing the status report submitted by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on the outlet through which untreated water and sewage from drains are finding their way into the Taladanda.
The status report said waste water and sewage from eight municipal drains are presently flowing into the Taladanda and the existing outlets can only be closed after diversion of the effluents from these drains between Malgodown and Naya Bazaar to the main storm water channel-1 by constructing a connecting drain.
“However, prior to the construction of the proposed drain, if the outlets are closed, the upstream side of the adjoining drains — near Urban Hat at Malgodown area, Light House, Police Colony, Kunja Bihari School in Chauliaganj area will become severely waterlogged and local people will suffer,” the CMC’s status report said.
The CMC has submitted a detailed project report (DPR) for construction of the diversion drain at an estimated cost of Rs 32.32 crore from Urban Hat to Nayabazaar and submitted it to the housing & urban development department on Aug 23 for necessary approval and sanction of fund for execution of the said work.