Running out of fresh water! What is the order of the court to save Puri?

• April 28, 2023

Pull the pot of fresh water under the ground! Due to this Puri is going to fall into great crisis! In this situation, the National Environment Court gave several orders to the Srikshetra town authorities.

What exactly has the court ordered about Puri? It has been asked to complete all the 'Sab Kalle Pradhan Jal' projects in Puri by April 30, 2025. Currently, the local municipality is working on a rainwater conservation project in Puri. The National Environment Court has ordered to complete this work by December 31 this year.

In the Baliapanda area adjacent to Puri there is a waste dump. The court has expressed fear that the freshwater reserves are being damaged due to the dumping of this waste.

In this situation, the Green Tribunal has ordered the restoration of the rubbish by December 31 next year. The Housing and Urban Development Department of Odisha has been asked to restore the landfill site through an organic mining process.

Fresh water from below Srikshetra is being extracted unplanned for the last few years. In addition to the residents of Puri, tourists use that water. And because of this, the freshwater reserves under the ground are going to be strained. Environmental activist Subhash Dutt filed a case in the National Green Tribunal regarding the matter. After hearing the case for almost a decade, the Environment Court has recently issued an important order regarding this. Judge's observation on this issue, if the rainwater is retained from house to house, the people of Puri will benefit in the end. This water will later mix with the groundwater. And that will again nourish the fresh water under the soil of Puri.

Incidentally, the National Environment Court had earlier constituted a committee to deal with the problem. Apart from Puri Municipality, the committee included Puri Konark Development Authority, Odisha Water Resources Department, Central Ground Water Protection Authority, Center, and Odisha Pollution Control Board. The committee was asked to report on the Puri freshwater reservoir and environmental protection.

Environment activist Subhash Dutt visited Puri in January this year. He visited Puri and took various pictures to see the situation. That photo was submitted to the court. Besides, affidavits have been submitted by all the concerned parties to the committee constituted by the court.

Environmental activist Subhash Dutta alleged that there are deficiencies in the garbage remediation project in Baliapanda. On the other hand, efforts are being made to make Puri City plastic-free quickly, Puri authorities said.

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