Villagers Stage Road Blockade Against BMC Works On Bio-Mining Project In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Local people of Daruthenga on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar staged a road blockade in protest against dumping yard works on Thursday.

Hundreds of villagers, led by their sarpanch, resorted to the agitation on Chandaka-Pitapali road in the city. They sat on dharna on the road and raised slogans against Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) for starting the project work without informing them.

As the road blockade continued for a long time, the vehicular movement was affected for several hours on the Republic Day.

The protesters told the media that the BMC has moved heavy machineries to the bio-mining project at Bhuasuni in middle of night without informing them. But the BMC had earlier agreed at a meeting that they would take every step in consultation with them, they added.

“It was decided at the meeting that the BMC will close the garbage dumping yard at Daruthenga by May 23. Then it would transfer the land to its bona fide owners and start the work on the bio-mining project. But the municipal authorities have sent heavy machinery for Bhuasuni treatment plant without informing us,” the villagers said.

It may be mentioned here that the locals of Daruthenga have been opposing the dumping of garbage from the capital city in their village 2008. They have staged demonstration on several occasions to shift the dumping yard as it was not only causing heavy pollution but also lungs related illness for the residents.