Odisha’s cities lacks ground water specification

Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) assessment has uncovered the standard of Groundwater quality of at least 26 major cities and towns including Bhubaneswar does not meet drinking water specifications.

As per the sources, a comparison of ground water quality with drinking water specifications, carried out by OSPCB across 90 locations in 30 districts last year, shows parameters like pH, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride, nitrate, iron, ammoncal nitrogen, lead, fluoride in quality monitoring stations of at least 26 major cities and towns do not conform to the prescribed limits.

Taking steps towards the issue, the OSPCB officials said the groundwater sources that do not match to the standards usually need to be closed. But it was also recorded that if in case there is no alternative source, the water needs to be treated properly for consumption.

The cities which fails to meet groundwater parameters are Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur,  Puri, Dhenkanal, Sukinda, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkangiri, Angul, Paradip, Bhawanipatna, Paralakhemundi, Boudh, Balasore, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Deogarh, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Phulbani, Rayagada and Sonepur.Two stations at Kusumi block and Sukribating basti of Mayurbhanj.