By Our Correspondent
BARGARHBHUBANESWAR: Yamuna is crying today. As important as the role of the demon Kansha in Dhanu Yatra, the role of river Jira in the natural environment is equally important.
From time to time the person playing the role of Kansa can be changed, but it is not possible to change the Jeera river, popularly known as Yamuna river. Despite being of cultural importance, the river is being exploited to a great extent.
Earlier, individual sand mafia, land mafia and small-scale industries were destroying the river by smuggling sand from the river and polluting it by dumping the waste material of the plant into the river, etc. But, now the district administration has also become a party.
Whether we go to National Green Tribunal or any other legal forum against this is a different matter but it is a matter of concern that the people of Bargarh district are ignoring this devastation.
In a letter to the District Collector and Secretary State Water Resources Department, Baragarh, President, Lok Shakti Abhiyan Prafulla Samantara urged him to stop illegal construction and encroaching the river bed of Jira Nadi.
Samantra in his letter mentioned that there are illegal activities going on on the river bed of Jira Nadi at Baragarh town and nearby. Through JCP and machines a portion of inside river piling of soil and stone takes place by which the natural flow of water has been obstructed and encroachment in river bed is a crime.. It is also fact that all these illegal construction against life of a river is going on with knowledge or approval of District Administration.
It is a conspiracy to build a permanent market complex on river bank in the name of Famous Dhanu Yatra .
‘It is a surprise how the Water Sources Department has allowed to do this anti-environmental work to bring disaster to a river which is life line of Baragarh district. My appeal to you as an responsible District Authority of Administration to stop the construction work and to take action to restore the natural existence of river bed and it’s bank.A few photos of illegal construction has been attached here with, Samantra said.
