Dear All,

The problem of Baitarani is a shade worse than Mahanadi. There are three 'Iron ore Slurry Transportation' industries, all taking water from upper baitarani basin. Another few are in the offing.
75% of slurry is water by weight. All that water will simply turn up at the destination at Paradip (Essar),or Kalinga Nagar (BRPL), or at Angul (Jindal). Additional water is also drawn for beneficiation (mainly washing), whose slime is planned for release to the river bed, aggravating the silting problem of Kanupur Irrigation Project,
Our repeated request to WR deptt to take us to confidence and explain the logic and arithmatics of allocation of water to all users including Industry. Anandpur barrage is planned to irrigate 53800 Ha of land in Bhadrak and balasore district, right up to Budhabalang basin. Kanupur is designed to give 48000 Ha of irrigation in Upper Baitarani basin.
The silence of the WR is ominous because either they just donot know or, have surrendered to pressure from higher ups. The Citizens fear of a desert land in Kendujhar is simply being acceleraed.
On Mahanadi, our view is, if 70% waer is surplus flowing into the sea, why are,nt they take it just before the flow in to the sea. Why take it from Zobra, and not from the mouth of the river.

Kiran Sankar Sahu
President, Kendujhar Citizens' Forum