The Mahanadi River, which is regarded as Odisha’s lifeline, appears to be fighting for its life. Its existence is said to be hampered by excessive pollution.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Sambalpur’s water is already unfit for human consumption just by looking at it with the naked eye.
The State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) gathered samples from four locations along the river in February and, following testing, classified them as belonging to Class ‘C’. It indicates that there are cholera-causing bacteria in the river’s water, making it unsafe to drink or use in any other way.
But some people continue to use its water because they are ignorant.
Locals claim that sewage water is dumped into rivers at locations such as Sadakghata and Balibandham Binakhandi. Likewise, factories are discharging their wastewater into the Hirakud dam.
It is feared that the river’s pollution level will rise significantly during the height of summer.
According to our analysis, its water falls into category C. It indicates that the water is unfit for swimming. A 40 MLD capacity sewage treatment plant is being built in Sambalpur at Dhanupali. The treated sewage water will be released into the river once it is finished, according to Dr. Satya Nanda, a regional officer of the OSPCB.
A resident of Sambalpur named Siba Prasad Meher voiced his concerns, saying, “The town’s sewage water is being discharged into the river through all of the municipality’s drains.” Effluents from factories and plants are being released. In this case, saving the river should be a top priority for the district administration.
