HC Orders Immediate Halt To Garbage Dumping Near Sati Chaura In Odisha’s Cuttack

Cuttack: The Orissa high court has ordered immediate halt to the dumping of garbage near the busy Sati Chaura and the closure of the micro composting centre (MCC) near Raghunath Jew Temple in Telenga Bazaar in Cuttack city.

The HC bench formed to deal with civic problems in the city was hearing the grievance of the Advocates’ Committee headed by High Court Bar Association president Bijay Dash on Thursday. Shifting of the dumping yard at Sati Chaura was sought as it was posing serious health threat to residents.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) authorities submitted that the dumping yard at Sati Chaura is being used as a transit point. The garbage collected from Cuttack city is stacked there for some time before being transported from there to the dumping yard at Chakradharpur, away from the city. It said the collector has been requested to provide adequate land for shifting the dumping yard from Sati Chaura.

CMC counsel Debasis Nayak submitted that there are 13 MCCs in Cuttack for conversion of garbage into manure pursuant to the state government policy. One such MCC is operational near the famous Raghunath Jew temple in Telenga Bazar, TNIE reported.

However, the bench of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh observed, “It needs no emphasis that an MCC in the middle of the city, especially in a densely populated locality like Telenga Bazar is harmful to the health of the public. Constant movement of garbage-laden vehicles plying to and from the MCC and foul smell emanating from decaying matter has created an unhealthy environment in the said area.”

“This court, therefore, directs that the municipal authorities shall take immediate steps to ensure that no fresh garbage is dumped at the MCC near Raghunath Jew temple. The authorities shall further ensure that the accumulation of garbage that has already been dumped at the said MCC be disposed of at the earliest, in any case, not later than January 27. The said MCC should not operate thereafter pending further orders,” the bench said.

The bench posted the matter for further consideration to January 30, expecting a compliance report from CMC by January 28.