Dharakote: Even before summer is yet to fully set in, the Rushikulya river which is known as the lifeline of Ganjam district, is drying up rapidly. This has sparked concern in the district with people involved in farming wondering what the future holds in store for them. Scanty rainfall in the last few months and the rapidly increasing temperatures are the reasons behind the river drying up.
The issue assumes significance with the ‘Baruni Snan’ ceremony scheduled for April 6. Residents of Aska, Purusottampur and Pratappur and even people from outside the district come in large numbers to take a dip in the river on the auspicious occasion. However, people are wondering how will they take a dip when even the knees are not getting fully submerged in the river.
However, with the river going dry, it will not just be the festival which will be affected. Already the riparian villages are facing a drinking water crisis. The problem will increase if some measures are not taken for supply of water to the river, locals said.
The river is considered holy and is intrinsically linked to the religion and spirituality of the people. People use its water for drinking and also for irrigating their farmlands. The river water is used in various religious ceremonies like temple consecration, ‘Baruni Snan’, ‘Sankranti Snan’ and ‘fire rituals’.
The river originates from the Rushimal hill in Kandhamal district and flows through Ganjam district before merging with Bay of Bengal. An anicut built by the British in 1891 at Janbil near this town is the main source of water for hundreds of hectares of farmlands in the district. Lakhs of residents residing in Berhampur town and adjoining areas depend on the river for drinking water. Moreover, scores of industrial firms use the river water to run their plants.
With the water crisis escalating, the residents of this district have asked the authorities to intervene and take urgent steps to mitigate the situation.
PNN