Bhubaneswar, July 1: Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi on Wednesday asked the Sundaragada Collector to take stern action on illegal transportation and indiscriminate dumping of fly ash in different parts of the district.
Bhoi also suggested a slew of measures to check the illegal practices in the district safeguarding the interests of farmers and local residents.
In a letter to the Sundargada Collector, Bhoi said, “I would like to bring to your notice on the urgent attention on illegal transportation and indiscriminate dumping of fly ash in different parts of Sundargarh district have become a matter of serious concern. Such activities are causing severe environmental degradation, polluting agricultural land and water bodies, affecting public health, and creating widespread anger among the local population.”
“Hence, I would request you to take immediate and stringent measures to curb this menace by constituting Special Task Forces at each of the three subdivisions of the district. Each Task Force may comprise officers from the Police Department, Forest Department, Revenue Department, Transport Department, and the Odisha State Pollution Control Board, with adequate manpower and dedicated vehicles may be provided for effective enforcement,” wrote Bhoi.
The Deputy Speaker said, “The Task and Forces may function round the clock in three shifts to conduct regular patrolling, monitor vulnerable locations, intercept vehicles transporting fly ash without authorization, prevent illegal dumping, seize offending vehicles, impose penalties as per law, and initiate criminal proceedings against habitual offenders. Surprise inspections may also be carried out in identified hotspots.”
For better monitoring of the functioning of the task force, Bhoi said, “I would also request that the Task Forces submit weekly action take reports to your office for review and that a district-level monitoring mechanism be established to ensure strict compliance. The involvement of local Tahasildars, Sub-Collectors, and Sub-Divisional Police Officers in supervising these operations would further strengthen enforcement.”
“I am confident that your timely intervention and effective coordination among the concerned departments will go a long protecting the environment, safeguarding the interests of farmers and local residents, and ensuring strict adherence to environmental laws,” added Bhoi.
