Posted on March 12, 2025
CUTTACK: With summer approaching, people residing in Mahanadi-Chitroptala and Luna-Chitroptala deltaic regions have raised concern over severe water crisis as the Chitroptala river passing through the area has started to dry up due to accumulation of sand at its mouth.
One of the main distributaries of Mahanadi river, Chitroptala starts from Guali in Salepur and bifurcates after 14 km at Mandan near Nemalo Tinimuhani in Nischintakoili thereby generating its distributary Luna.
Luna further divides near Danpur creating its distributary Karandia. Both Luna and Karandia join again after flowing independently for 30 km. The Chitroptala river too, after flowing separately for 48 km, merges with Luna at Narayanpur in Kendrapara’s Marshaghai block.
Sources said the situation has worsened particularly at Nemalo-Tinimuhani bifurcation point with decrease in the flow of the river affecting people of Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts.
Expressing concern over the gradual closure of the river mouth due to sand accumulation, locals said it has started happening since February. “While ponds too have started drying up, wells and tube wells also do not have enough water due to decrease in the groundwater level. Now with the river drying up, farmers are struggling to irrigate their agriculture fields. We are worried the situation might worsen in the coming days,” they added.
A retired executive engineer of the Water Resources department said the river bed too is gradually getting filled with sand layers. He further called for dredging of the river mouth or setting up a barrage to solve the problem.
Jagatpur irrigation (north division) SE Sandip Kumar said “We will take the matter to the department to chalk out plan for rejuvenation of the river.”
