WATCO Water Supply Project In Bhubaneswar’s Sikharchandi Hill Gets NGT Nod

Cuttack: The Water Corporation of Odisha’s (Watco) has got the nod from National Green Tribunal (NGT) for an elevated water storage tank project for Bhubaneswar at Sikharchandi hill.

The NGT’s east zone Bench in Kolkata refused to shift the project to an alternative site, taking into consideration Watco’s argument that there is acute shortage of drinking water in the area. It, however, directed that the construction of the proposed tank should not exceed the four acres of land allotted by Idco.

“Though Idco has made available four acres of land in question to Watco for construction of the water tank for which, in any case, 3.22 acres of land is required, the joint committee has noted that as per the layout plan, three acres can be utilised. We direct WATCO not to exceed in any manner the area of three acres,” read October 20 order.

The project had hit a roadblock in July with the NGT constituting a joint committee to look into allegations of damage to the environment around the hill and issuing an interim order saying, “Having regard to the irreversible consequences of the ongoing project, we direct that the project, in question, may be held in abeyance till next date of hearing”.

The tribunal passed the order on a petition filed by Sachin Mohapatra, a resident of the area, alleging earth moving, blasting of rocks, and felling of trees undertaken as part of construction works for the project was damaging the environment.

The petitioner has also appealed to NGT for its intervention for declaring the hill a biodiversity heritage site. Sarpanchs of Chandaka and Daruthenga have already moved the chairman of State Biodiversity Board Odisha for the same.

The committee in its report had mentioned that construction of water tank will not have significant effect on the environment and the proposed project does not require environment clearance. However, it observed that WATCO had not taken permission for felling of trees. “Clearing of vegetation will make the soil vulnerable for erosion and this activity has resulted in removal of vegetation which was present in the site prior to clearing of the site. This needs to be compensated by plantation and soil conservation measures,” it added.