Strong Opposition to Proposed Sewer Pipeline Through Bishwambhar Vidyapeeth Grounds
Puri | 25.08.2024
(Saswat TV)
Parents of students studying at Bishwambhar Vidyapeeth, located in Chitrakar Sahi of Puri, convened an emergency meeting today to strongly oppose the proposed sewer pipeline project initiated by the Sewerage Board. The pipeline is planned to carry waste from nearby lanes and settlements through the central road of the locality and across the school’s playground—an act parents are calling illegal and unethical.
During the meeting, members of the students–parents–teachers’ committee submitted a mass-signed petition opposing the plan. They voiced concerns that the pipeline, which is set to pass directly through the school’s playground, poses a severe health risk to nearly 1,500 students currently enrolled in the school.
They alleged that the order was issued by the district administration and executed in an inhumane manner by the divisional head of WATCO (Water Corporation), disregarding the well-being of children. In protest, a delegation visited the office of the District Child Welfare Committee and submitted a memorandum condemning the proposed move.
It is important to note that the school’s playground lies about three feet below the main Chitrakar Sahi road. Even minor rainfall leads to waterlogging, and if the proposed sewer pipeline overflows or gets blocked, the entire school premises could flood with waste and sewage, creating a foul-smelling, unhygienic, and unsafe environment.
To prevent such a public health hazard, the joint delegation has planned to meet with the District Collector on the upcoming Tuesday, as informed by Shri Birendra Kumar Mishra, President of the School Management Committee.
