Category : Water Pollution | Location : Odisha | Posted on 2022-09-01 21:58:02
BHUBANESWAR: In a first, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India have decided to undertake a performance audit on stormwater drainage and sewerage management in five municipal corporations of the State of an alarming rise in water contamination of river systems.
The audit of drainage and sewerage systems will be conducted for the last five-year period from 2016-17 to 2021-22. The decision was apparently taken following allegations that the effluent from the urban areas discharged to river systems without treatment led to pollution and water contamination besides affecting the ecosystem.
The Accountant General has sought information on the status of drainage and sewerage systems from the Housing and Urban Development department and on water contamination diseases from the Health and Family Welfare department.
The Health Department has been asked to furnish information on corporation-wise people affected with diseases due to water contamination, the name of hospitals where people were admitted for treatment of such diseases and the number of persons who succumbed to the diseases.
Every year hundreds of people fall prey to waterborne as drinking water sources get contaminated due to untreated water from industries and waste from cities and towns. The National Green Tribunal had earlier expressed displeasure that all rivers in Odisha are polluted due to wastewater of the cities mixing with rivers causing health hazards to the public and animals.
As many as 19 rivers stretches in the State have been found to be polluted. The polluted river stretches are Gangua, Guradih Nallah, Kathajodi, Nandirajhor, Daya, Kuakhai, Banguru Nallah, Bheden, Brahmani, Budhabalanga, Kusumi, Mahanadi, Mangala, Nagavalli, Nuna, Ratnachira, Rushikulya, Sabulia, and Serua. Sources said Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur generate approximately 10, 7.5, 6, 3 and 5 lakh litre of sewage effluent respectively every day.
These effluents are discharged into Mahanadi and Kathajodi in Cuttack, Kuakhai and Daya in Bhubaneswar, Brahmani in Rourkela, Mahanadi in Sambalpur and Rushikulya in Berhampur. The effluents contain heavy metals like lead, chromium, cadmium, zinc, mercury and harmful bacteria and viruses.
The office of the Accountant General has urged the Health Department to direct the CDMOs to cooperate with the audit staff during field visits for verification of records. Director of Public Health Dr Niranjan Mishra said CDMOs of Khurda, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Ganjam, Sundargarh and Director of Capital Hospital and Rourkela Government Hospital have been asked to share information as required for the audit.
Source: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2022/sep/02/odisha-cag-to-audit-drainage-sewerage-to-check-water-pollution-in-5-cities-2494036.html
