Bhubaneswar: The Mahanadi Bachao Andolan Saturday urged the state government to ensure Kataka’s water security before allocating Mahanadi water for the proposed Silicon Valley and a planned data centre at Naraj, warning that large-scale industrial withdrawals could affect the river’s flow and the water needs of downstream areas.
Outfit convener Sudarshan Das said the Mahanadi could not be treated as an unlimited source of water for industrial development and called for a scientific assessment of the river’s water availability before allocating water to the proposed projects.
The state government has announced plans to establish Odisha Silicon Valley over 870 acres at Naraj in Kataka, where several semiconductor, IT and electronics projects are proposed to come up.
Das said such projects would require substantial quantities of water and alleged that the government appeared to be planning the Silicon Valley with an eye on drawing water from the Mahanadi.
He said the concern had increased with the proposal for a 1-GW AI data centre by the Adani Group, involving an investment of around Rs 1 lakh crore, with Kataka being considered as a potential location.
The proposed data centre would also require substantial quantities of water, he said, adding that no site should be selected without a clear assessment of its actual water requirement and the availability of water at the proposed location.
Das referred to the Orissa High Court’s order in the IOCL case concerning the lifting of Mahanadi water upstream of the Jobra Barrage for the Paradip refinery, saying the court had expressed concern over the impact of industrial water withdrawal on irrigation and Kataka’s drinking water requirements.
According to Das, the court order permitted IOCL to draw 40 million gallons of water per day, equivalent to around 73.2 cusecs, subject to water availability during the non-monsoon and deficit periods.
The order demonstrated the sensitivity of withdrawing water from the Mahanadi and the importance of protecting Kata ka’s water security, he said.
Das said the issue also needed to be viewed in the context of the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal, where technical proceedings are examining the availability of Mahanadi water, its existing utilisation and future requirements.
While the state was fighting before the tribunal for its equitable share of Mahanadi water, the state should not simultaneously commit water for large industrial projects without assessing their impact on the river’s future water balance, he said.
He also referred to findings from research by the Department of Geology of Ravenshaw University on the Mahanadi stretch between Naraj and Jobra, saying the study had heightened concerns over Kataka’s water security.
The study covers issues including changes in the river’s course, formation of sandbars and the impact of sand mining and has reportedly warned that Kataka residents could face a severe water crisis in the future, Das said.
