Industrial waste worsens water crisis in Orissa

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Industrial waste worsens water crisis in Orissa

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Industrial waste worsens water crisis in Orissa

MeriNews - May 14, 2008

By Rakesh Mohapatra

RAPID INDUSTRIALISATION is likely to trigger a serious water crisis in Orissa. An official report confirms that water in certain stretches of six major rivers in the state, has become unfit for human consumption, following huge discharge of industrial waste into them.

These rivers are Brahmani, Mahanadi, Baitrani, Rishikulya, Nagavali and Suvarnrekha, which cater to daily needs of people in a vast area covering nearly 15 districts. The situation is likely to worsen with over 40 steel, 13 thermal and three alumina, besides some cement plants expected to come up in the state in the next five years.

An expert body, which has been monitoring the water quality of the above mentioned rivers under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme, has found on analysis that water in certain stretches of these rivers does not conform to the desired standards, a euphemism for referring to water unfit for human use. Significantly, at least four of these rivers - Brahmani, Mahanadi, Rishikulya and Nagavali - have major polluting industries located on their banks.

Earlier, a survey had mentioned that industrial waste intervenes Brahmani primarily at Rourkela and Talcher, both major industrial towns. “In Rourkela, the waste water goes to Brahmani from Rourkela steel plant. Similarly, in Talcher region (which has coal-fired power units), the industrial waste water is carried through the Tikira river and Nandira river into the Brahmani,” the report says. It also says, “Total caliform and faecal caliform counts are very high in major stretches of Brahmani and the water is not suitable for human use without treatment.”

The situation in Mahanadi, which gathers substantial amount of industrial waste at Sambalpur, Cuttack and Paradeep, is comparatively better than Brahmani but it still remains a major cause of concern.

“The bio-chemical oxygen demand load on Brahmani river from industrial effluents is about 20 times higher than that on Mahanadi,” mentions the report, which has become the talking point in the environmental circles of the state. Fisheries and animal husbandry officials admit to decline in fish catch from Brahmani due to growing pollution.

According to them, the industries concerned have been asked to take steps to reduce pollution. The government has directed all industries to take appropriate measures to prevent the discharge of any untreated waste into any water body.

The government’s woes on the water front have been compounded by reports of high concentration of fluoride in ground water in 22 blocks of 12 districts. In the wake of this revelation following a survey, the fear of spread of fluorosis, a disease caused by high fluoride level in the water, has gripped these areas, most of which fall in poverty-stricken Western Orissa. Fluorosis leads to chipped teeth and brittle bones and causes old age to set in early.

The findings of the survey show that the fluoride content in groundwater in 22 blocks was beyond the permissible limit of 1.5 milligram per litre. While Bolangir district in Western Orissa is the worst hit by the problem with seven of its eight blocks affected by high concentration of fluoride, the other affected districts are Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Nupada, Nowrangpur and Puri.

The blocks in Bolangir where the problem has reached critical proportions, include Saintala, Patnagarh, Khaprakhol, Gadabela, Deogaon, Bangomunda and Belpada.

The other affected blocks in the state are Gondia, Binjharpur, Mahanga, Garadpur, Balipatna, Madanpur-Rampur, Nayagarh, Khariar, Boden, Komna, Tentulikhunti and Krushnaprasad.

With crisis mounting, the government is trying to make alternative arrangements for the supply of safe drinking water in the affected areas. But experts feel that teams of doctors and public health specialists should be made available in these areas immediately and steps be taken to find a permanent solution to the problem.

SOURCE:
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=134022
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