With the pollution level in some of the major rivers and ponds on the rise, the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) Chairman Aditya Prasad Padhi has asked the authorities to prepare an action plan and initiate action in a time-bound manner against the erring Urban local Bodies (UlB) and non-complying industrial units.

Padhi, who is also the Development Commissioner, while reviewing the activities of the SPCB found out that segments of rivers like Brhamani in Panposh and Rourkela, Kuakhai and Daya in Bhubaneswar and  major ponds like Parvati Sagar, Markanda Pokhari, Narendra Pokhari, Swetaganga and Indradyumna ponds are not conforming to the water quality criteria.

Though efforts are being made by the SPCB to monitor the water quality of the rivers regularly, they have not yielded desired results in the downstream reaches of the towns and urban centers, felt the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). CPCB Chairman Susheel Kumar has also recently written to the State Government in this regard.

Out of the eleven major rivers in the State, the SPCB regularly is monitoring water quality of nine rivers including Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani, Rusikulaya, Nagavali, Subarnarakha, Budhabalanga, Vansadhara and Kolab at 75 stations.

A major contribution towards pollution is from the discharge of untreated domestic water from the townships to the nearby water bodies. Similarly industries are also releasing waste water to the rivers, resulting in serious pollution.

looking at the situation, Padhi has decided to monitor the water quality and maintain it at healthy level, said sources. He has pointed out that at many points the rivers are polluted and similar is the conditions of religious ponds in and around Puri.

Taking up the issues raised by the CPCB, Padhi has asked the Member Secretary of SPCB Rajiv Kumar to take up Performance Evaluation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) regularly as these STPs are allegedly not complying with the standards.

Padhi has asked the SPCB to direct the UlBs to formulate a comprehensive plan for cent per cent sewage treatment and ensure that no untreated sewage enters water body.

He has asked for setting up of Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations at the outfall of each drain /STP and on rivers and ponds.

Padhi has asked SPCB to direct all the polluting industries to install Real Time Effluent Monitoring devices and stepping up vigilance on industries so that they do not dispose untreated effluents in water bodies.