19 rivers of Odisha polluted due to urban sewage: Minister

Bhubaneswar: Forest and Environment Minister Bikarm Keshari Arukh today informed Odisha Assembly that a total of 19 rivers in the State have been polluted due to discharge of drainage water and sewage effluents from urban areas.

Replying to an unstarred question asked by Khandapada legislator Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, the minister said with an aim to prevent further pollution of rivers, sewage treatment plants are being constructed in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Talcher and Rourkela cities. This apart, tender has been invited for septage treatment plants in 29 towns of the State.

The State has plans afoot to construct septage treatment plants in 114 towns, the minister added.

The State Pollution Control Board has registered cases against Sambalpur, Junagarh, Puri and Cuttack civic bodies for violating norms on water management, the minister informed the House.

The Khandapada MLA asked what measures the State government has taken to prevent the release of liquid effluents and urban waste into rivers.