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HC expresses concern over Cuttack woes

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Friday asked the State Housing and Urban Development Department to submit an affidavit to the court stating as to what measures the department has done to preserve the existing water bodies in Cuttack city. The HC direction came while adjudicating a PIL wherein it was alleged that hundreds of ponds in the city have been filled up and handed over to builders to construct residential houses.

The ponds and other water bodies in the city were acting water absorbers during the monsoon. “In the absence of such ponds, and construction of unauthorised buildings are the main cause of water logging in the city”, the PIL alleged. The HC also came down on the city civic body asking it to file an affidavit stating whether adequate steps have been taken to repair and de-silt the drains for proper drainage of rain waters from the city. An advocate committee appointed by the HC however, has informed the court that the civic body was “very casual” in its approach to cleanse the city drains.

Similarly, the HC also directed the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the alleged scam of mosquito larvae (ML) oil purchase of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation.

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