SALINITY INCURSION IN COASTAL AREAS
OF ORISSA
Studies undertaken
by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) have shown salinity incursion
in Minjaur area in Tamil Nadu and parts of Pondicherry due to
high extraction of ground water. Some parts of coastal areas of
West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and
Union Territory of Diu have also been found affected by ingress
of seawater in low-lying areas and rivers.
Ministry of Water
Resources has not prepared any action plan for ground water management
in large townships along the coastal areas.
The CGWB has set
up a network of observation wells in coastal areas, through which
monitoring of ground water tables and quality is done four times
in a year. The CGWB has also undertaken a project for salinity
ingress and ground water recharge in Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Puri
districts of Orissa. 39 shallow piezometers have been installed
in creek areas of Orissa to monitor the ground water regime.
This information
was given by the Union Minister of State for Water Resources,
Smt. Bijoya Chakravarty in a written reply to a question from
Shri Ramachandra Khuntia in the Rajya Sabha today.
