Bhubaneswar: Odisha Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty today expressed concerns over the quality of water in the Daya River and stressed on spreading awareness on wastewater treatment.

According to sources, residents of Pamsara village situated on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar depend on the river water for drinking, irrigation and utilitarian purposes. But pollutants in the water have raised concern among the people of Pamsara and nearby villages where waterborne illnesses are on the rise said sources.

In a meeting held to address the issue, Mohanty said that wastewater from drains and sewerage lines in the city are discharged into the Gangua Canal. The water filled with effluents of Gangua Canal flows into the Daya River and pollutes it.

It was decided in the meeting that wastewater of drains and sewerage lines should be treated before being discharged into Gangua. A proposal for six sewerage treatment plants with a budget of Rs 800 crores was also discussed in the meeting.

“The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has identified six places from where wastewater of Bhubaneswar is discharged into Gangua and has created six divisions where it has started work with a budget of Rs 800 crore.

We are the manufacturer of River Water Treatment Plant of Odisha Bhubaneswar as well as India. Presently, treatment plants have been constructed at two places and they have set a target of two years to complete the project,” said Mohanty.

Discussions on preventing discharge of sewerage water into Daya River will be held in another meeting, said Mohanty. Besides, he asked to create awareness among people to not use the water of the river as it has turned poisonous.

Not only river Daya but pollution level in water of nearby rivers – Bhargavi, Luna and Ratnachira – is also increasing gradually. Taking cognizance of the matter, Mohanty instructed the OSPCB to check the water purity in these water bodies.

The meeting held in the office of the Revenue Minister was attended by Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy, Forest and Environment Minister Bijoyshree Routray and Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi among other dignitaries.

River Water Treatment Plant is very much necessary now a days for urban sectors due to heavy wastewater generation and scarcity of Wastewater Treatment Plant in urban areas.