Environmentalists have expressed concern about the massive transfer of fresh water from the Brahmani River basin, which may pose a serious threat to Orissa’s famous mangrove vegetation. From the Brahmani river, the steel & power Plants, the Talcher-Angul coal mines, Kalinganagar steel and power hub are drawing massive portions of fresh water.
Highlights:
For Odisha state, the Brahmani is a major seasonal river . The Brahmani River is formed by the joining of the South Coel River and the Sankh River
It forms a large delta with the Baitarani River and then merges into the Bay of Bengal at Dhamra.
Bhitarkanika-a reported Ramsar wetland-covers an area of more than 195 square kilometers and is Home to 62 mangrove species.
The fresh water from the Brahmani River Basin and the Kharasrota River flows proportionally to keep the salinity of the coastal waters at a low level.