Koraput: Gupteswar in Koraput district’s Boipariguda block, a notified biodiversity heritage site, is getting littered with banned plastic items, locals and environmental activists said. From carry bags to styrofoam plates and cutlery, plastic waste is found, especially around the Gupteswar cave shrine, raising concerns ahead of the Kanwar Yatra. Residents alleged plastic waste often piles up along the banks of the Saberi river, with some of it entering the water, endangering aquatic life and leading to contamination. “It’s disheartening to see plastic litter choking the biodiversity zone. The forest and river are sacred to us, but they’re being degraded due to negligence. We need immediate action and awareness drives, especially during Shravan,” said Malati Nayak, member of the Gupteswari Mahila Mahasangha, Ramgiri. In Dec 2016, National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed state authorities to declare the area from Saberi embankment to Gupteswar Temple a ‘plastic-free zone’. Fines of Rs 1,000 for first-time violators and Rs 2,000 for repeat offences were recommended. Odisha State Pollution Control Board was asked to submit a compliance report within three months. But the directives are yet to be implemented, sources said.“We urge the authorities concerned to implement the NGT’s order in letter and spirit. If eco-friendly products like bamboo baskets and leaf plates are promoted, it can also create jobs for the tribal communities,” said Dhanapati Khila of Boipariguda Gram Sabha Mahasangha. Environmentalists also raised concerns ahead of Kanwar Yatra. “With thousands of devotees likely to arrive from Odisha and Chhattisgarh, enforcement squads must be deployed, banned plastic items seized and alternatives like earthen pots made available,” said a Koraput-based environmentalist Bidyut Mohanty. Authorities, however, claimed preventive measures are being taken. “People have been urged not to carry holy water in plastic bottles for offering to Lord Shiva. We’ve also placed adequate number of dustbins along the route,” said Chittranjan Patnaik, endowment officer, Jeypore. “Efforts are also underway to create mass awareness against single-use plastic in and around the shrine area,” he added.
