Kujang: Even as the government has imposed curbs on groundwater extraction to conserve the fast-depleting resource, allegations have surfaced that JSW is illegally drawing large quantities of groundwater at its under-construction steel plant in the Dhinkia-Charidesh area of Ersama block in Jagatsinghpur district.
Residents of Dhinkia-Charidesh —covering Dhinkia, Gadagujang and Nuagaon gram panchayats — have expressed concern that indiscriminate extraction of groundwater for the JSW project could have serious long-term consequences for the local population.
They fear that unless immediate corrective steps are taken, the area may face an acute drinking water crisis in the coming years.
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According to sources, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) had granted permission at the preliminary stage of the project to dig only three borewells for construction purposes.
However, it is alleged that the company has illegally drilled more than 300 borewells and has been extensively using groundwater for construction activities.
Following complaints lodged with the CGWB, the company authorities reportedly removed the upper pipes of several borewells.
However, fresh allegations have now emerged that borewells are again being drilled in the area to supply water to the labour colony and batching plant.
Earlier, several borewells exceeding depths of 1,000 feet were reportedly drilled and made operational.
Locals now apprehend that excessive deep extraction could lead to saline water intrusion into shallow tube wells in the Dhinkia-Charidesh area in the near future.
Such a development, residents warn, would severely affect the availability of potable and usable water, pushing the region towards a serious water crisis.
Despite this, no action has been taken by the CGWB or the district administration, said Deen Dayal Paradip Industrial Workers’ Union president Khirod Chandra Parida and Jindal-affected Dhinkia-Charidesh Unnayan Samiti convenor Bijay Ketan Sahu.
They warned that industrialisation should not be allowed to push human lives towards danger.
They said the company had earlier entered into an agreement to draw water through pipelines from the Jobra anicut of the Mahanadi river for use in construction and other activities.
However, no arrangements have been made for this so far. Parida and Sahu said a proper inquiry would bring all facts to light and demanded an investigation into the matter.
Attempts to contact JSW project public relations officer Mitrabhanu Choudhury for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls.