Will Air Pollution Eliminate Humankind?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY 

People living in industrial regions of Odisha and especially in Angul district are constantly worried about  air pollution which has threatened their very existence.

An OUAT study conducted in Talcher in the past suggested that toxic dust particulates floating in air have caused most of deaths in the region. The study said the Air Quality Index (AQI) prevalent in mining regions in the Black Diamond Township and its periphery is very poor. Breathing good quality of air has always been a dream for the people of Talcher due to extensive mining operation and rapid industrialization in the region.

Open cast mine in Talcher, Odisha

The study said effluents released from different industrial concerns in Talcher into Brahmani, the second largest river in Odisha, have contaminated water. Its water has become unfit for human consumption, the study said and added that a people using the water for bathing have contracted a number of skin diseases.

Air pollution apart, contamination of water due to extensive mining has also devastated life in Talcher region with as many as 408 villages and hamlets reeling under severe scarcity of water. The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) authorities have allegedly done precious little to make life of the denizens of the mining town worth living. MCL officials said they have been providing potable water through tankers to the areas experiencing scarcity of water.

The stark reality, however, is that the ground water table has gone down to rock bottom level and it has become virtually impossible to pump out water from bore wells to provide a few buckets to the thirsty. The whole area of Talcher is sitting over a cauldron with temperature soaring over to 48 degree Celsius.

The common sight in most parts of areas near the second largest river Brahmani is that womenfolks traverse several miles in a serpentine line to fetch water by holding pitchers and buckets.

Media reports said the spectre of environmental pollution has dealt a heavy blow to the very survival of the planet with a staggering 90 lakh people dying every year in the world due to this manmade disaster. If the statics are to be believed then nearly 16 lakh people have perished in India during 2019 due to the exposure to various forms of contamination.

  

Prevailing Heat Wave Condition To Repeat 1998 Situation In Angul District ?

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The prevailing heat wave condition has reminded people of Angul district of 1998 when hundreds were killed due to sunstroke.

Local weather officials predicted that the heat wave condition might escalate further with temperature soaring up to 45 degree Celsius or more. The prevailing condition in Angul district in the past two days has become unbearable as hot wind pervade all through the day and night. Scarcity of water in most parts of the district has also made the condition further miserable.

As many as 104 villages in Talcher, Angul and Pallahara sub-divisions are facing acute shortage of drinking water due to scorching sun. Villagers living all along Brahmani, the second largest river in Odisha, alleged that contamination has left the waters of the river unfit for human consumption.  

Forest officials working in different ranges in Bantala and Purunakote and members of social organizations working in above mentioned areas expressed surprise over the ongoing heat wave condition in the district despite the presence of a lush green bio-reserve like Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary.  ' Forest cover has increased in the sanctuary and afforestation activity is encouraging', the forest officials said and added that' the phenomenon like global warming has played an important role in neutralizing the cooling effect of the wildlife sanctuary which is spread over 397 sq km area'. 

No Rain Leaves Angul Farmers High And Dry As They Take Met Forecast With Pinch Of Salt

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

The agrarian community of Angul district have become despondent after the severe cyclonic storm 'Asani' did not bring rain with it leaving them high and dry.

The weather scientists had predicted that torrential rain will lash several parts of Odisha due to 'Asani', but that did not come true. A few drops here and there rather escalated the heat wave condition.

In this backdrop, the Met office in Bhubaneswar and New Delhi have predicted that the monsoon will break early and the amount of rainfall will be encouraging. However, there seems to be few takers for such forecasts. The farmers of Odisha have hesitated to rely on the forecast of meteorological wing of the state as the prediction has gone wrong over the years.

The prediction of weather officials have gone wrong since 2016 as the state has been experiencing poor rainfall leading to severe drought. A large chunk of farmers in Angul have failed to perform 'Akshya Tritiya' due to want of rain on that day which is regarded as auspicious to sow seeds for a good harvest. As morning shows the day, the farmers have realized that this year too they will not have a good yield due ongoing drought-like situation.

The weather scientists like Prof Surendranath Pashupalak and Umashanker Das are of the view that summer season this year has not witnessed hailstorms like previous years.  Formation of low pressures over Bay of Bengal are limited this year that has contributed to the prevailing dry spell for quite some months.

Like any other region in the world, Odisha is also in the grip of Global Warming, but the state government has failed to initiate measures to counter the bad effects on agriculture especially in environmentally sensitive regions like Angul where air and water are contaminated owing to rapid industrialization.

A number of small and medium irrigation projects in Angul district are in limbo due to lack of political will  and alleged lack of cohesion between the district administration and the concerned department. The glaring example is Hidisingh irrigation project which is yet to become a reality although this issue has been dominating successive election campaigns and candidates in fray promising early action on the score. The irrigation project has failed to get environmental clearance.          

   

Odisha Surpasses National Average In Boozing

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

A recent report suggested that there has been a steep rise in the number of adolescent drunkards in Odisha. This is all the more interesting as the state has surpassed the national average on this scrore.

While the national average of boozing is 18 per cent, Odisha is way ahead at 28. One important finding from  the study is that women in Odisha are not lagging behind in drinking habit as well. The study has indicated that the state has a number of families whose womenfolks do not hesitate to drink any more. This is a startling revelation that the women in Odisha have made their foray into a relatively male dominated sphere and do not seem to have reservations to remain tipsy like their male counterparts nor do they consider drinking as a male prerogative either.

There is no gainsaying the fact that drinking has always been a dangerous habit which is mostly responsible for crime against women and society. The graph of domestic violence in Odisha is on the rise, yet state's excise department is hell bent to encourage alcoholism among people by opening foreign liquor off and on shops throughout the state. It is very difficult to locate a place in Odisha which is bereft of country liquor and toddy shops.    

This write up is not meant for criticizing Odisha government nor the agencies responsible for looking after excise business. Certainly, they have the right to formulate policies on liquor trade. But, they must not forget about their duties and responsibilities on the establishment of a safe society where there is no place for domestic violence. Taking wine is not a crime but it is criminal to be alcoholic. 

As the Odisha government is mostly run by the babus, this is high time that they should act immediately to reverse the trend if not banish altogether.  

Satkosia Eco Habitat In Danger As Rare Species Dying For Water

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Even as the government of Odisha is hosting a two day biz event Advantage Angul beginning May 9 in Angul Aluminium Park to showcase the district's potentialities in different sectors including eco tourism, the rare species in Satkosia Wildlife sanctuary are virtually dying for a few drops of water.

Most of the ponds dug up at different places inside the sanctuary have gone dry due to severe heat wave condition. The officials, it is alleged are never bothered to fill up the ponds with water. There are grave allegations that the local wildlife officials have failed to make adequate provision for water for the wildlife species although the government has sanctioned enough money to take necessary steps in this regard.

Reports said the nullahs and rivulets in Purunakote, Burti, Uddhab and Baniajora which are natural sources of water for the species in Satakosia wildlife sanctuary throughout the year have gone dry due to scorching sun this year.

It is interesting that the advertisement in different media outlets in Odisha on Advantage Angul, being organized by the district administration,  emphasizes that Satkosia Nature Camp in Angul is one of the major tourist destinations in Odisha, but the irony is that endangered species in Satkoisa are dying for water.

The villagers in Pokatunga, Nuakheta, Dhokuta and other regions have alleged that deer and elephants, mostly tuskers, have intruded into human habitation to get a few drops of water for survival. They alleged that this phenomenon has further escalated Elephant-Man tussle as tuskers have gone on a rampaging spree. People in Nuakheta, Taras, Bargaunia, Dhokuta, Bantala, Pokatunga and Sarangpur region  have alleged that they are living in a state of panic as tuskers and other ferocious wildlife species might attack them at the dead of night which are prowling the areas for search of water and food.

Environmentalists and nature lovers in Angul district said the two day business event to invite investment in the industrial sector in Angul district is most welcome, but the environment and ecosystem of Angul, which is one of the major industrial hotspots of Odisha, must be given due weightage.

They said that it is high time that the wildlife wing and Odisha government must work in close liaison for a thriving ecosystem in Satkosia which is one of India's top bio reserves. Efforts must be initiated before a number of rare wildlife species in Satkosia wildlife sanctuary are extinct due to severe shortage of water and the Advantage Angul on Satkosia Nature Camp remains a misnomer only, the nature lovers added wryly.  

People Panicky As Marauding Jumbos Wreak Havoc In Angul Villages

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

People in Nuakheta, Taras, Bargaunia, Dhokuta and other villages in Angul district are living in a state of panic as marauding tuskers have been roaming the area devastating farm products and human habitation for over a month. The villagers thank the providence to remain alive every passing day as the forest officials could not effectively handle the situation to drive away the marauding jumbos to nearby forest. They are not sure how long their nightmare will continue.

 

The villagers alleged that the forest staff at Bantala range have failed to take effective measures to drive away the pachyderms to their habitat as they are not adequately trained to man the operation. Although an elephant squad has been formed to drive away the jumbos from villages and orchards, herds of elephants and tuskers freely roam the area posing threat to human habitation.

Most recently a herd of 15 jumbos, mostly tuskers, rampaged farm products and human habitation in Dhokuta under Bantala forest range. Banchhanidhi Sahu, Surath Sahu, Mayadhar Sahu, Susant Sahu and others in Dhokuta village gheraoed forest staff alleging inaction by them to drive away the pachyderms. They demanded that adequate compensation be given to them immediately for the damages.

The aggrieved villagers alleged that the forest personnel engaged in driving away the jumbos to forest are not sincerely performing their duty and added that farming has almost come to a halt in the area as farmers are always apprehensive about devastation.    

Pinkan Sahu from Nuakheta who is a +3 student of Bantala College said:' I always pray God to keep me alive to join classes while cycling down to Bantala through the jungle route. A number of times I have close encounters with tuskers and herds of elephants on the way. Two days ago, I have a close encounter with two tuskers. I thought  I am gone, but luckily survived.' Tears rolled out from eyes as I hastily went past the giant creatures, he added.

Elephant corridor near Dhokuta across old Cuttack-Sambalpur road

Pinkan's brother Mihir who runs a variety and snack store near Bantala square talks about his ordeal every night when wades through the jungle route to reach his village Nuakheta. ' I leave my shop early in the evening to reach my village Nuakheta safely. All through the way I pray God to reach home without encountering the tuskers.'

People living in interior regions of Bantala range alleged that power cuts throughout the night has compounded their miseries as the electricity officials at the behest of forest staff disconnect power to villages lest the jumbos might be electrocuted. 

Nature lovers and volunteers working for reducing Elephant-Man conflict in Bantala range said the district forest wing must rope in adequately trained staff to counter such a menace that occurs regularly. They said awareness meetings undertaken by Bantala forest range office on elephant menace have become futile as such exercises are limited to  a few villages. There is a need to conduct such awareness meetings to reduce elephant-man conflict on a bigger platform for its effectiveness, they reasoned.        

Angul People Up In Arms Over Worsening Condition Of NH-55

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

Senior citizens, social activists as well as intellectuals of the industrial city are up in arms over deteriorating condition of NH-55 which is regarded as the lifeline of Odisha.

Angul Bar Council president Dillip Sahu, advocate Rabi Patnaik, Gopal Nath, Prasanna Behera, Abhay Ray and a number of social activists have taken a vow to urge the government to take action against the construction company which is intentionally delaying four lane work of the highway.       

The 15 km stretch of NH-55 from Panchamahala to Banarpal is a virtual hell interspersed with potholes, ditches and quagmire. The once finest highway is now non-motorable. Most long haul buses have stopped plying on the route due to worsening condition over years. The worst condition of the road has been responsible for killing nearly 15 people so far leaving a large number of people severely injured.

The four lane work that started in 2018  was due to be finished in 2020. But the road construction agency never cared for the deadline nor is it worried over the ultimatum given by no less a person than the Deputy Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly Rajanikant Singh to finish the work at the earliest or face action. The private bus owners in undivided Dhenkanal district also staged a token strike snapping bus services for a day three months ago protesting lackadaisical attitude of the road construction company. But, that did not yield any result.

Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo had taken upon the issue with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in December 2021 in New Delhi and urged him to expedite the expansion work of NH-55, but to no avail. The minister had assured him all possible help and cooperation for early completion of four lane work but three months have elapsed since then.

Finding no alternative to tame the adamant road construction agency, Sahoo has now resorted to road blockade and dharna to draw the attention of government and people as well to take on the obstinacy of the construction company.