Sambalpur: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) issued a directive Tuesday for the closure of Silver Moon Hotel located beside NH-55 under Burla police limits in Sambalpur district. The OSPCB took the action against the hotel on charges that it was polluting the atmosphere by not managing sewerage and wastage properly.
The action was taken following a report from the OSPCB Sambalpur regional officer who had visited the hotel July 1. The OSPCB has in its letter (No. 3475/21) to Mamata Choudhary, the owner of the hotel, directed the closure of the hotel, failing which legal actions would be initiated.
The district collector, SP and the electricity department in Burla have been informed about the development. The power department has been asked to snap the power connection to the hotel at the earliest. This apart, the regional office of OSPCB has also been directed to take steps against the hotel.
Notably, Silver Moon Hotel has been releasing its sewerage water to farmlands and a nearby water body. It had also been dumping its solid waste there. ‘Paryabaran Suraksha Samiti’, a local outfit fighting for environment, had taken up the matter with OSPCB.
Odia daily ‘Dharitri’ had also carried a news item on its March 31, 2017 edition on the basis of allegations made by local residents.
Thereafter, a team from the OSPCB had done an inspection and asked the owner to install a Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP). However, the owner had not taken any permanent steps to manage its sewerage.