Jajpur: Mindless discharge of effluents and untreated water by industrial units at Kalinganagar in this district has rendered farmlands useless and water bodies polluted, a report said.
Ten industrial units in this district are drawing water from river Brahmani and its distributary Kharasrota for their use. However, the firms are discharging untreated waste water which has been affecting farmlands in the surroundings and polluting water bodies.
A test report of the water samples conducted at the Central Laboratory October 25, 2018 said the samples collected from seven places of Brahmani, Kharasrota and Gonda nullah has 0.09 mg of phenolic compound as against the permissible limit of 0.005 mg.
Similarly, the cyanide content is 0.427 mg as against the permissible limit of 0.05 mg. An earlier examination in December 2015 also found 8-10 times more phenolic compound and cyanide content in the water.
It is alleged that the firms are hand in glove with the state pollution control board (SPCB) for which they are discharging polluted water without having any concern for the environment. This apart, the decision to install online water quality monitoring system by the industrial units near the riverside has only remained on papers.
Reports said that even leaves get blighted after coming in contact with the discharged water.
The SPCB collected the samples of the discharged water for examination after this paper published several reports highlighting the water pollution.
However, it is alleged that the SPCB instead of making the examination report public manipulated the report to shield the industrial units. The pollution watchdog claimed that water pollution caused by industrial units has declined in the area.
Residents are also not raising their voice against these units for fear of backlash.
Pramod Kumar Behera, regional officer, SPCB, rejected the charges of negligence on part of the pollution control body stating that the water samples are being collected and examined at regular intervals. The companies which are found violating norms have been served with notices, he added.