The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Odisha government not to undertake any permanent construction at the floodplain area of the Mahanadi, keeping in mind the reported threat to riverine ecosystem.
The NGT ordered the constitution of a seven-member committee comprising environmentalists to study the ecological and hydrological aspects and vulnerability of reclaiming the floodplains of the river and make detailed recommendations identifying the steps required for protecting the floodplain zone. The committee has been directed to submit its report within three months.
The tribunal asked both the applicant as well as the Odisha government to place their respective point of views before the committee. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) would be the nodal agency to carry out the entire exercise.
Pradip Kumar Pattnaik had moved the NGT, alleging sand filling in the Mahanadi river bed within the water area of Jobra Barrage at Cuttack could cause damage to the environment and the riverine ecosystem.
‘Monetisation bid’
According to the petitioner, the project called Balijatra River Front Improvement (BARFI) is an attempt to monetise the river bed for commercial purposes, which will reduce the water retaining capacity of the river at Jobra Barrage at Cuttack. The project would also obstruct free flow of water at the river bed, besides causing floods in the city.
A study ‘Floodplain Zoning Study for the Identified Stretches of Mahanadi River Basin’ sanctioned by CPCB says, “Floods of 25-year return period are most likely to affect about 38 villages in and around the Cuttack city between Munduli and up to the lower reach, while another 66 villages may be partially affected. These villages are on the outer periphery of both Kathajodi and main Mahanadi branches.” It was argued that the study had limitations as no ground verification had been carried out.
In a similar case filed in NGT, Biswajit Mohanty, environmentalist, alleged the BARFI project envisaged filling up of the river area close to the embankment with sand. About 72 acres of land had been reclaimed at Jagatpur. The river bed height has been raised by dumping huge quantity of sand, and the river has been pushed back into the middle.
Sand mining has become a major environmental issue, with the NGT recently banning mining of sand in Balasore district. Two petitioners, Haripada Manna and Uttam Das, had moved the NGT challenging the auction of sand mining in the Dhitapura sand mining area in Subarnarekha river. They had alleged that sand mining was disturbing the Subarnarekha river’s ecology.
“We direct that all processes of auctioning in respect of sand mining in the Balasore shall remain stayed and shall be subject to any order which may be passed by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Odisha,” the NGT directed.
