Chhatrapur: The Rushikulya river, which is known as the lifeline of Ganjam district, is facing an ecological crisis, a report said. Residents have raised concerns that the river water, supplied through various mega pipeline drinking water projects, has turned increasingly saline.
Locals alleged that tidal waves from the sea are pushing saltwater upstream into the riverbed, contaminating the freshwater. A persistent issue of blockage at the river mouth has slowed down proper water discharge, allowing the salty water to seep into the soil and contaminate the groundwater, they claimed.
Ajit Pradhan, Executive Engineer of the state’s Water Resources Department, said that two scientists from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in New Delhi recently visited coastal regions of Ganjam and confi rmed salinity intrusion in the Rushikulya river.
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A detailed report from the visiting experts is awaited, and will be submitted to the state government upon receipt. The scientists were invited by the Water Resources department to study coastal erosion in Podampeta under Ganjam block, and Arjyapalli under Chhatrapur block.
They observed that indiscriminate sand mining using heavy equipment like excavators has deepened the riverbed, creating channels for seawater to leak into underground aquifers. This has rendered the water unfit for drinking, their initial findings suggested.
The situation, experts warn, could worsen in the coming days, casting doubt on the viability of the Rs 183 crore mega drinking water project dependent on this river. However, there is hope that the upcoming monsoon could replenish the river with fresh water and dilute its salinity.
Currently, drinking water is supplied to over 2.83 lakh people in 60 villages of Ganjam block, and 92 villages of Krushnaprasad block in Puri district, via pipelines connected to intake wells near Barada in Malada panchayat of Ganjam block, and near the Rushikulya river in Krushnaprasad block.
Despite this, over hundreds of villagers in three villages under Jainchapur panchayat of Ganjam block are reportedly consuming saline water from the pipeline.
Locals have submitted a memorandum to the block development officer (BDO) in Ganjam, urging immediate action to resolve the crisis.
Earlier, the state Forest department had engaged a Delhi-based organisation, comprising national and international experts, to conduct a coastal erosion survey.
Though a detailed report was submitted to the state government highlighting damage to the shoreline and possible remedies, no significant action has been taken on their recommendations, sources added.
PNN
