Court orders fresh study on Odisha river pollution

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha High Court has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to conduct a fresh study on pollution in the Brahmani river, the second largest river in Odisha after the Mahanadi, a lawyer said Thursday.

Dissatisfied with the report submitted by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OPCB), a division bench of the court Wednesday directed the CPCB to constitute a team of scientific experts and conduct a fresh probe, CPCB’s lawyer Bibhu Prasad Tripathy told IANS. Taking sue moto cognizance of a media report that the Brahmani river and its tributaries were being polluted due to rampant iron ore and chromite mining in the state’s Sukinda area of Jajpur district, the court had last month directed the OPCB to carry out a study in this regard and submit its report. The board which studied the air and water pollution April 22-24 in the region submitted its report in the court Wednesday. In its report the board stated that the pollution level is under manageable limits. "The division bench comprising Justice Indrajit Mohanty and Justice S. Parija expressed their displeasure at the report and directed the CPCB to constitute a team of scientific experts and conduct a fresh probe," Tripathy said. "The necessary expenses shall be borne by the state government if the same is required by the Central Pollution Control Board," Tripathy said citing the court order. The next hearing in the case is likely to be held next month, he said.