Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
double its size, with a much smaller population (about 8.5 million total habitants in 2001)
and an even smaller percentage of urban to total population. Relatively (in comparison to
Sabarmati Basin) much less land is under irrigation. The irrigated area in recent years has
averaged only about 1.23 million ha against a total cropped area of 1.57 million ha.
The basin has an abundance of mineral resources such as iron ore, coal and limestone.
The Rourkela steel plant, built in 1960, is one of the large steel plants with substantial
ancillary industries in the Angul-Talcher area. There are two large thermal plants
established by the National Thermal Power Corporation and the National Aluminium
Company, besides coal-based fertiliser plants set up by the Fertilizer Corporation of
India. Industrial activity in the basin is picking up substantially.
The basin is rich in forests which occupy as much as 37% of the basin's total area.
Near the Brahmani-Baitarani delta are located mangrove ecosystems, including the
famous Bhitarkanika National Park and a wildlife sanctuary. About 215 km² of the
mangroves in this region was listed as one of the RAMSAR sites in November 2002. The
basin has considerable potential for development of inland fisheries in reservoirs, ponds,
tanks and canals. The occurrence of floods, particularly in the deltaic region, is a common
feature, and on average a population of about 0.6 million and crop production of over
50,000 ha is affected annually. A large multi-purpose dam, the Rengali project, was
completed in the year 1985, and has provided some relief to the lower flood plains in this
regard, but its canal systems are not yet fully ready. Pollution of surface water of the
Brahmani, and some of its tributaries below Rengali, on account of discharge of industrial
effluents continues to be a cause of concern, despite some recent measures by the Orissa
State Pollution Control Board to improve the situation.
Water
assessments
The initial basin-level consultations were held based on preliminary studies, primarily
to help identify issues concerning water use for the food, people and environmental
sectors. The BHIWA model was applied to derive responses to
1.
past,
2.
present and
3.
four future alternative scenarios using long-term average rainfall. These include:
a) Business as usual (B as U) Scenario (F-I)
b) Large expansion of agriculture and irrigation (F-II) to harness much of the water
and land potential
c) More industrialisation, considering the present base and its future growth (F-III)
d) Lesser agriculture and industrial expansion with increased allocation of water to
nature sector needs and navigation (F-IV).
In all three future cases (3b, c and d), better water management by best practices was
presumed, and irrigation system efficiencies increased for the future scenarios; as well,
recycling and reuse are also assumed.
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