On July 7, 2011, People from Sambalpur staged protest in front of City Municipality Main gate with the slogan “Save Mahanadi” whose water quality has been deteriorated to an alarming extent. They also locked the office of Sambalpur Municipality . The councillor BJP also joined the dharna. Health and hygiene of Sambalpur people dependant on the river.
President and secretary of the Sambalpur District Bar Association Dr Pramod Rath alleged that the municipality is taking a very casual view on the Mahanadi although thousands of people of Sambalpur City use river water even for drinking purpose. The State Pollution Control Board has declared Mahanadi water at Sambalpur to be Grade D, which is totally misfit for human use. Still then, no effort is being made to improve the water quality. Ring road on the Mahanadi that can be made a tourist spot has virtually been changed into an open-air latrine and a garbage dump yard for the municipality. Till any action is taken the protest should go on.
