Pattamundai: A British era pond in Pattamundai town in Kendrapara district has virtually turned into a dumping yard with tons of garbage being dumped into it on a daily basis.
The pond in question is Kacheri Pond, spreading across one acre of land. Once upon a time, people used to use the water of this pond even for drinking purposes. The villagers would grow fish in it and earn lakhs of rupees.
With the passage of time, the local administration allegedly stopped taking proper care of the pond. As a result, infestation of water hyacinths and accumulation of silt and garbage rendered the pond of no use.
As if this was not enough, the sweepers engaged by Pattamundai municipality are presently dumping huge quantities of garbage near the market complex in front of the pond and into the pond as well, turning them almost into a dumping yard.
According to some town dwellers, the town does not have a dumping yard. Even if the municipality has been making plans for a dumping yard since 2013, the yard is yet to see the light of day.
Pattamundai being a business hub, hundreds of people from areas like Rajnagar, Aul, Rajkanika, Mahakalpara, Kendrapara and Derabish visit this town daily. And thus the town generates 20 to 25 trolley-full of garbage every day. What with no specified dumping yard in the town, this garbage is being dumped into the pond.
When contacted, tehsildar Sarat Kumar Giri said the present type of the pond is ‘Bagayat’. Soon its type will be converted and steps will be taken for its renovation.
Pattamundai municipality, executive officer, Sampad Kumar Swain said the government has sanctioned Rs1.5crore for the renovation of Kacheri pond. Soon, a tender will be floated and the pond will get back its lost glory.
PNN