Jajpur: Rapid salination of the groundwater in the river basin areas of Mahanadi has become a cause of concern for the people in 49 riparian pockets of Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Nayagarh and Puri districts. The groundwater in the areas near Brahmani, Birupa and Genguti rivers under Bari block of Jajpur is getting salinated. The groundwater is unfit for consumption and irrigation. “Wherever you dig, the water is saline and not fit for drinking,” locals said. Over 40,000 people in Ratnagiri, Mandar, Amathpur and Serapur under Bari block have been suffering a lot because of the salty groundwater.
Taking a serious note of the issue, the Water Resources department and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation department have taken steps for solution to salination of the groundwater. A proposal has been made to provide drinking water to these villages through underground pipelines (UGPL). Meanwhile, the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal had ordered for a scientific study and a report on the underground water salination in Mahanadi river basin areas.
The RWSS has sought a report on the groundwater salination in river basin areas from the superintending engineer of the mechanical division by June 30. The areas facing underground water salination include Athagarh, Baranga, Cuttack Sadar, Dampara, Kantapada, Mahanga, Niali, Nischintakoili, Salipur, Tangi and Choudwar in Cuttack; Gondia in Dhenkanal; Balikuda, Biridi, Erasama, Jagatsinghpur, Kujanga, Nuagaon, Raghunathpur and Tirtol in Jagatsinghur district; Barchana and Bari in Jajpur district; Derabish, Garadpur, Kendrapara, Mahakalpara, Marshaghai, Pattamundai and Rajnagar in Kendrapara district; Balianta, Balipatna, Begunia, Bhubaneswar, Bolagarh, Jatni, Khurda and Tangi in Khurda district; Nayagarh and Ranpur in Nayagarh district; Astarang, Brahmagiri, Delang, Gop, Kakatpur, Kanas, Krushnaprasad, Nimapara, Pipli, Puri and Satyabadi in Puri district.
Former minister Sitakanta Mohapatra May 20, 2022 had drawn attention of the Chief Secretary towards the groundwater pipeline project in the river basin areas. Water Resources department director Alok Kumar Kar June 17 ordered for a feasibility report on underground pipeline in the areas facing groundwater salination.