Nachuni, 225th July 2025: Many rivers and drains flowing into the Chilika Lake from Khurda, Ganjam, Nayagarh, and Puri districts have recently lost their natural flow and connectivity. These rivers, originating from the distant hills, mountains, and plateau regions surrounding Chilika, usually bring in large volumes of rainwater during the monsoon season.
Prominent among them are Daya, Bhargavi, Luna, Rahua, Makara, Malaguni, Kansari, Salia, Kusumi, and several other rivers, along with their tributaries, distributaries, and numerous natural and artificial drains and canals. These waterways serve as crucial channels for discharging excess rainwater into Chilika, helping prevent flood damage to vast tracts of farmland.
However, over time, many of these river mouths have become blocked, disrupting the flow of water into the lake. This has caused waterlogging and flooding of agricultural lands, severely affecting crop production.
In addition, several rivers and drains are now silted or blocked due to both human-made obstructions and natural factors, resulting in adverse impacts on both human settlements and farming areas.
Furthermore, widening of National Highway 16 has obstructed water drainage from many nearby streams. Drainage outlets under highway culverts have been filled up. With no proper drains along both sides of the highway, rainwater accumulates in the nearby settlements, disrupting daily life and creating unhygienic conditions.
Due to rapid urbanization, farmland is being converted into buildings, and many small drainage channels have been filled up. In some places, drains that do exist have been blocked on both sides, preventing any water discharge.
As a result, restoration of old and obstructed drains has become essential to address the problem. Local residents have demanded immediate action from concerned departments to find a solution.