Kendrapara: Despite being a district devoid of industries, it still suffers from industrial pollution. Kendrapara has Bay of Bengal on one side while four districts surround it on three other sides. The four districts – Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, and Bhadrak — surrounding Kendrapara have a number of industries. Hence the toxic pollutants released by these industries have a serious effect on this district’s dwellers. There are seven rivers and 27 channels that flow through Kendrapara. The water of all these rivers and channels has become toxic due to the emission of effluents from the industries in other districts. This not only affects the people residing in this district, but also the domestic animals, flora, and fauna. No step has been taken to date by the district administration to clean the water and to prevent its pollution.
Local intellectuals and environmentalists have stated that they will soon attract the attention of the National Green Tribunal on this issue and lodge an official complaint. Environmentalist Samarendra Mahali pointed out that 16 industries in neighbouring Jagatsinghpur district are responsible for such a high level of pollution in Kendrapara. Most of these industries emit poisonous gases like ammonia, nitrogen, hydrogen and sulphur dioxide that pollute the atmosphere to a great extent.
Many waste chemicals are also released in rivers that flow through Kendrapara district. People and animals fall sick and some also die after drinking this contaminated water, stated Mahali. He added that due to this pollution people are hit by deadly diseases like cancer and agriculture also suffers. Mahali said that despite repeated pleas to the district administration officials both in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, nothing has been done to curb pollution. Social worker Pratap Chandra Padhi said that the Central Ground Water Board had conducted a survey in 2011. He informed me that large quantities of nitrates, iron, and fluoride were found in the groundwater. In the report, it was clearly mentioned that if steps are not taken to check water contamination, agricultural productivity will be severely impacted.
However, despite such a report, nothing has been done to prevent water contamination, he alleged. A report was prepared by Professor BC Behera, Biotechnologist, Northern Odisha University, Professor RR Mishra, Biotechnologists, MITS, Bhubaneswar, and Professor SK Dutta, IRS, Bangalore in the year 2014. In their report, they mentioned that both air and water have been contaminated severely.
For this the industries in these four districts could be responsible. Talcher and Kalinga Nagar industries are releasing their waste in Brahmani river. The water of Mahanadi is also contaminated by Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, and Dhamara port authorities. All these industries are using the roads of Kendrapara district but don’t pay any urgent heed to chemical pollution. These industrial districts are also not doing any expenditure from CSR funds in Kendrapara district, he alleged. Social worker Subhasis Sarangi revealed that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had identified the 112 most polluted areas across our country in the year 2021. Paradip Port was in 48th place on that list.
Bhitarkanika National Park has been dropped from the world heritage list owing to pollution. Asked in this regard, ADM Pitambar Samal said, a letter has been issued by the district administration to State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for a departmental inquiry. In the letter, it has been requested to take strict action against these industries.