Jagatsinghpur: Mercury hovering between 31° and 34° Celsius in the town has affected all humans and animals as several water bodies have dried up before the onset of summer.
The district administration has convened several meetings and seminars to gear up massive plantation drives and to recharge water bodies.
The Forest Department and the companies operating here are spending lakhs of rupees in the name of plantations and greening drive which have not succeeded.
There are small and large companies in Paradip. As per government guidelines, these companies have to plant trees on 33 per cent of land acquired by them. But this norm has been flouted with impunity.
The pollution in Paradip has crossed all limits. Public anger is increasing as neither the district administration nor the companies are taking measures to reduce pollution.
The demonstration organised by the Paradip Parivesh Suraksha Committee at the regional office of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board February 20 reflected this anger.
Jagatsinghpur Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar has assured steps within a week. Paradip Parivesh Suraksha Committee President Ayaskant Ray said, “The meeting with the Collector was successful. Priority will be accorded to three of our major demands.”
Basically, the focus was on forming a Suraksha Committee which will be instrumental in tackling the problems, he added.
The companies are not discharging their responsibilities properly. At the same time, the district administration is also not doing anything to make them obey rules, and that is why the situation is turning worse.
The Radhamadhabjew tank at Madhapur in Ward No: 5 of Jagatsinghpur town is a good example of how badly rejuvenation has been carried out. While this tank’s rejuvenation was limited to rebuilding its wall, another pond with the same name at Nua Bag Bhoi Sahi also had the same fate.
The pond near Deuli Grameswari Temple is silted up. Its rejuvenation has also not gone beyond floating a tender for its wall. The pond at Barik Sahi is almost filled up. Same is the condition of ponds near the Muchukund Somnath Temple and the Sarbangasundari Temple in Ward No: 2.
The other ponds facing similar problems are Bidhei Pokhari in Mukundapur village and the Kaniar pond at Kheras.
People use the pond at Behera Sahi in Ward No: 18 for various purposes. Death rituals are performed here, but the water level here is fast coming down. Many other ponds have been lost over the years. Buildings have come up in their places.
Last year, the government sent letters to the municipality and NACs to take control of all ponds in the town. But the letter is gathering dust.
“The government has set up many tube-wells. But most of them are not being used as some are defunct and others are not yielding water. Even if they give water it will be contaminated,” locals said.
PNN