Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jul 28:

Tension prevailed in Daruthenga in the outskirts of Odisha capital today due to face off between the locals and police over dumping of garbage near the proposed waste to energy project site.

Daruthenga dumping yard

As per reports villagers of Daruthenga today in the morning opposed dumping of garbage at the waste to energy project site by trucks of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) resulting in scuffle between them and the police. Villagers had set fire to old automobile tyres on the road to prevent movement of garbage trucks.

“We have been opposing dumping of garbage here for the last 7-8 months. Right from the outset we have been saying that we won’t allow dumping of garbage here but they are not listening. The government is not listening to our demand,” said a villager.

“We have been standing here since morning to oppose dumping but they have arrested some of our villagers,” another villager.

“Our children have died due to disease caused by the presence of this dump. We won’t allow dumping of garbage come what may. We will take to the street,” said a woman of the village.

While 18 platoons of policemen were deployed to maintain law and order, 32 villagers who were involved in the scuffle have been detained. Villagers have demanded release of the detainees.

Following opposition to the dumping and scuffle between the villagers and the police, Khordha District Collector, Twin City Police Commissioner, BMC Commissioner among others had rushed to the spot.

However, 106 truckloads of garbage were dumped at the site in the presence of the police.

“The decision to dump garbage here has been taken at the administrative level by the government. Dumping of garbage had stopped for about six to seven days due to resistance of the villagers which had lead to a serious situation. Our objective will be to empty the piled up garbage in the city within three days. This will lead to an improvement in sanitation in Bhubaneswar. So far the villagers are concerned we had several rounds of discussions we have tried to fulfill several of their demands,” said Kishan Kumar, BMC Commissioner.

It may be recalled here that the state government at a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary on July 19 had decided to relocate the garbage dumping yard at Bhuasuni in Daruthenga panchayat to Tulsadeipur.

Officials had then said that the dumping yard would be relocated within a month while the proposed waste to energy (waste treatment) plant would be set up in Bhuasuni in conformity with the High Court directives.